FOI 2026/1791

Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would like to request the following information:

1. If your Talking Therapy Programme is utilizing an AI software and in what capacity.

2. The number of patients who have been treated under a scheme of therapy that involves a communication exchange including the contribution of an Artificial Intelligence system in 2025 and 2026.

3. Please break down the number of users into the following classes: i) age, ii) ethnicity, iii) nationality, iv) gender.

If the numbers are less than 5, please merge the figures for 2025 and 2026.

4. The name of the company providing the AI software(s) mentioned in 1 and 2. Please also tell me the name of the system (ex. ChatGPT, Claude, etc).

5. The value of the contract between the AI company and the NHS trust.

6. Investigations, reports and other similar documents thar look into: :

a. the clinical effectiveness of therapy undergone by patients using the therapy mentioned in 1 and 2 above,

b. any potential risks from the therapy mentioned in 1 and 2 above.

7. The current waiting list for an appointment with a therapist within your NHS Talking Therapy service. I would like to know how many people are currently waiting for a first appointment and how long would a new patient wait if they got referred today.

8. The current waiting list for an appointment with a psychiatrist. I would like to know how many people are currently waiting for a first appointment and how long would a new patient wait if they got referred today.

1. NHS Greater Manchester (NHS GM) does not use AI software within its’ NHS Talking Therapies program.
2. Not applicable as NHS GM does not use AI assisted technology within the NHS Talking Therapies program.
3. Not applicable as NHS GM does not use AI assisted technology within the NHS Talking Therapies program.
4. Not applicable as NHS GM does not use AI assisted technology within the NHS Talking Therapies program.
5. Not applicable as NHS GM does not use AI assisted technology within the NHS Talking Therapies program.

a. Not applicable as NHS GM does not use AI assisted technology within the NHS Talking Therapies program.

b. Not applicable as NHS GM does not use AI assisted technology within the NHS Talking Therapies program.

7. Please note that NHS Talking Therapies waiting time measures are calculated retrospectively, based on the period between referral and the first attended treatment appointment for people who have accessed treatment and been discharged. Waiting times are therefore not recorded or reported as a prospective estimate for individuals referred today.

Information on NHS Talking Therapies waiting times is published nationally and is publicly available via NHS England/NHS Digital. The published statistics show the proportion of referrals that accessed treatment within the national waiting time standards (currently 75% within 6 weeks and 95% within 18 weeks).

The latest national NHS Talking Therapies waiting times data can be accessed here:

NHS Talking Therapies Monthly Statistics – Waiting Times

As waiting times are measured using completed episodes of care, NHS GM do not hold recorded information that would allow us to state how long a newly referred patient would wait for a first appointment at the point of referral.

8. NHS GM does not commission Psychiatrists within NHS Talking Therapies. If this question relates to specialist psychiatric outpatient appointments, NHS GM also does not hold this information and would need to be accessed from the commissioned providers below.