OCFighter™ (formerly BTSTEPS) was developed by a team of leading experts in the field on anxiety disorders which included Professor Isaac Marks, M.D., an internationally recognised authority on the treatment of Phobia and Anxiety. The program has been subject to clinical randomised controlled trials and open studies at the Institute of Psychiatry and Imperial College as well as in the US.
Tackling and overcoming OCD has never been more accessible and can be achieved conveniently and confidentially on-line with OCFighter™. Up to 3% of the UK population has OCD. It can affect people in their personal and work life. These consequences can also lead to OCD sufferers feeling anxious and depressed. After 10 weeks of using OCFighter™, sufferers can experience the same reduction in the time spent on obsession and rituals which is gained from seeing a therapist face to face.
The traditional obstacles to receiving treatment include long waiting lists, too few qualified therapists, distance from clinics, inconvenience of session times and fear of stigma. OCFighter™ overcomes these issues by offering the opportunity to access CBT confidentially on-line in a secure and convenient setting of the individual’s choosing.
The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) 2005 position on OCFighter™
NICE recognises the “absolute clinical efficacy of OCFighter™” as a treatment option for OCD. Currently, the program is also a part of a national RCT comparing OCFighter™, guided self help and waiting list control (OCTET STUDY). This is being run by the University of Manchester’s Professor Karina Lovell.
Who is OCFighter™ Appropriate for?
OCFighter™ is suitable for those suffering from OCD. It is not suitable for Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).
Supporting OCFighter™
The correct support is essential for service users to benefit fully from OCFighter™. The support worker is typically a graduate mental health worker, low-intensity worker or practice nurse. Support is provided over the phone and totals no more than an hour per intervention. Research shows that the program is more successful when support is scheduled between the support worker and the sufferer.
Making Support Easier
Therapists and support workers have heavy workloads, so OCFighter™ includes a Patient Management System giving support workers the tools to provide user support effectively and efficiently. Progress reporting helps support workers make the most of their service user support time and minimise the time spent managing administration and report writing. Support workers also benefit from the flexibility of access from anywhere over the internet.
Reduced Lead Times…
After the brief referral process, patients are issued with access details (login and passwords) and receive their first support call.
Access can be almost immediate.
..and Reduced GP Visits
Trial evidence has shown that service users benefiting from OCFighter™ can significantly reduce their visits to a GP.
Clinically Effective, Cost Effective, Scalable and Accessible
OCFighter™ demonstrates clinical effectiveness and operational cost effectiveness over the equivalent face to face therapy. What it also offers is increased accessibility and scalability. NHS savings are made possible through:
• the service user’s ability to access the treatment from home or non-NHS locations of their own choice,
• the reduction to only one hour of support needed per intervention from a healthcare professional, and
• the reduction in visits of service users to GP surgeries.
