BABCP response to Reading Well for Mental Health – health sector consultation
The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) is the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in the UK and Ireland. Our mission is to support the development of CBT, and those who deliver it, to improve the mental health of people across the UK and Ireland.
As the leading organisation for CBT in the UK and Ireland with over 26,000 members, we are committed to promoting the highest standards of CBT practice, training, and supervision. We hold all our members to the highest professional standards, which they commit to by adhering to our Standards of Conduct, Performance, and Ethics. Alongside the Association for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (AREBT) we keep the CBT Register UK and Ireland. This is the only officially recognised register of BABCP and AREBT accredited CBT therapists, supervisors and trainers, and evidence-based Parent Trainers. The CBT Register is a Professional Standards Authority (PSA) Accredited register. BABCP also provides individual registration schemes for Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs), Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs), Mental Health Wellbeing Practitioners (MHWPs), Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs); and Evidence Based Parent Trainers (EBPTs) Accreditation. These registration schemes are approved by NHS England.
Introduction
The Reading Agency is collecting feedback from professionals with experience in mental health to support the development of a new Reading Well for mental health collection. It will launch in May 2027. This information will be used alongside findings from a library sector consultation and co-production with people with lived experience of mental health problems.
This new collection will feature a list of recommended books and supporting digital resources on mental health for adults. The final focus for the list will be agreed as part of the development process, but it is likely to include common mental health conditions, experiences which negatively impact mental health and topics where there is a need for greater awareness. This consultation provides an opportunity to respond on the overview of evidence and considerations for a new Reading Well scheme, including the prevalence, evidence of need, relevant policy and clinical guidance which is included in the Reading Well for mental health evidence mapping 2026 document.
Rationale for development
Mental health is a key public health priority. There is an identified need for evidence-based information and resources. The focus of the new Reading Well collection will be on areas of need where books and reading can have the most impact. Consideration will also be given to topics and themes where evidence-based information available outside of clinical settings is appropriate and helpful. This section outlines key areas for consideration as part of the development of the collection.
Please note, we are aiming for a final collection of around 25-30 books.
Audience
The new collection will include a range of recommended books and supporting digital resources for adults, suitable for a wide range of people including people diagnosed with mental health conditions, people whose experiences have negatively impacted their mental health (e.g., bereavement and loss), people looking for information on mental health, and information for family members and carers.
1. Do you agree with this proposed audience?
Yes
Within the wider audience, there is evidence that certain populations are more likely to experience poor mental health outcomes.
Reading Well for mental health will aim to provide information and resources for at-risk populations, as well as information applicable to broader audiences. Identified at-risk populations where books and additional information would be beneficial include:
- Carers
- Disabled people and people living with one or more long-term health condition
- Men
- Neurodivergent adults
- Older people
- People from minority ethnic backgrounds
- People who identify as LGBTQ+
- People with a learning disability
- Women
- Young adults
2. Do you agree that the at-risk populations identified can benefit from a community-based, early intervention books on prescription programme providing content that reflects their needs and experiences?
Yes
3. Are there any additional at-risk population groups we should include? Please detail below
We believe it is also important to recognise the needs of people experiencing loneliness or social isolation, refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, veterans and members of the armed forces community, and people living in rural or geographically isolated communities, as these groups may face additional challenges that can impact their mental health and wellbeing. It may also be helpful to recognise that many individuals belong to more than one of these groups.
Resources should reflect the impact that these overlapping experiences can have on one’s mental health and wellbeing and ensure support is inclusive and relevant to diverse needs.
Themes
To ensure the new Reading Well for mental health collection focuses on areas where books and reading can have the most impact, acknowledging the programme is delivered in the community and aims to support people outside of clinical settings, the following themes have been identified to underpin the development:
- Early intervention and prevention – the need for recommendations which encourage proactive, preventative, community-based care aligned to the Fit for the Future 10-year health plan shift “from sickness to prevention”.
- Commonly experienced mental health problems – the need for information to support awareness of the prevalence of common mental health problems and increased awareness of the how these intersect and can contribute to poor mental health.
- Awareness raising – the need for resources that help to raise awareness of mental health problems and tackle stigma.
4. Do you agree with these themes as underpinning principles?
Yes
5. Are there other themes you would recommend as underpinning principles for the new collection?
Inclusion and representation – It is important that people can see their experiences, identities, cultures, and backgrounds reflected in the collection. Inclusive and culturally relevant resources can also help improve engagement and ensure the programme is accessible to diverse communities.
Topics for inclusion
For the new Reading Well for mental health collection, we are proposing to focus on the awareness, understanding and management of common mental health problems and experiences. This focus will give consideration to prevalence and the relevance of book-based interventions, all with reference to the needs of identified at-risk populations.
We are proposing to include:
- Common mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders and depression
- Common feelings and experiences which can negatively impact mental health including
anger problems, bereavement and loss, loneliness, sleep problems and stress - Self-help approaches including CBT and mindfulness
- Resources for identified at-risk populations
- Resources for family and carers
We are not proposing to include resources on:
- Severe mental illness
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Personality disorders
- Self-harm
- Suicide
6. Do you agree with the above approach?
Yes
7. Would you recommend any additional topics for inclusion on the new Reading Well for mental health collection?
Long-term physical health conditions and mental health – Including the psychological impact of living with chronic illness or disability. There is strong evidence that long-term conditions are associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life, and that integrated approaches to physical and mental health improve outcomes. (Capobianco et al. (2020) – PLOS ONE systematic review on anxiety/depression in chronic illness) (Hohls et al. (2021) – systematic review on anxiety/depression and quality of life in long-term conditions)
Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) – In addition to general bereavement and loss, consideration should be given to including resources on prolonged grief disorder. PGD is a newly recognised diagnosis in ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR. Although the evidence base is still developing, particularly around prevalence and interventions, emerging research indicates that PGD is associated with significant distress and functional impairment. Early evidence suggests cognitive behavioural approaches may reduce symptoms in adults, while CBT-informed approaches are considered potentially helpful in supporting understanding of grief and early identification of those needing further support. (Simon & Shear (2024) – New England Journal of Medicine review on PGD and treatment approaches)
Including this topic would help improve awareness and understanding of when grief may require additional support, reduce stigma, and support earlier identification and access to appropriate help. Given the high prevalence of bereavement experiences in the general population, accessible psychoeducational resources may be particularly beneficial in a community-based setting.
Furthermore, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a distinct diagnostic category with its own NICE guideline. Although not classified as an anxiety disorder within NICE guidance, it is often grouped within anxiety-related conditions in service settings. Given its prevalence and impact on daily functioning, explicitly naming OCD would improve recognition and access to relevant self-help resources.
It may also be helpful to explicitly include specific phobias, which are common anxiety-related difficulties that can significantly affect daily life and are supported by evidence-based psychological interventions such as CBT. While these may be considered within the broader category of anxiety disorders, naming them directly would improve accessibility and help individuals more easily identify relevant content and self-help resources
NICE guidelines and Quality Standards
NICE guidelines offer best practice advice on care and support for adults in relation to mental health and wellbeing. A range of NICE guidelines and Quality Standards have been identified as relevant to the development of Reading Well for mental health, including:
Anxiety
- Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: management [CG113]
- Post-traumatic stress disorder [NG116]
- Social anxiety disorder: recognition, assessment and treatment [CG159]
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder: treatment [CG31] – This guideline is currently undergoing an update, expected publication February 2027.
Depression
- Depression in adults: treatment and management [NG222]
- Depression in adults with a chronic physical health problem: recognition and management [CG91]
Eating disorders
Severe mental illness
- Bipolar disorder: assessment and management [CG185]
- Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults: prevention and management [CG178]
Other
- Self-harm
- Mental health services
Other related topics
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management [NG87]
- Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management [CG142]
- Menopause: identification and management [NG23]
- Mental wellbeing at work [NG212]
- Supporting adult carers [NG150]
Quality Standards
- Anxiety disorders [QS53]
- Autism [QS51]
- Depression in adults [QS8]
- Eating disorders [QS175]
- Learning disability: identifying and managing mental health problems [QS142]
- Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults [QS80]
SIGN guidelines
8. Are there any additional clinical guidelines that we should consider for the new list?
9. Are any of the identified guidelines or quality standards irrelevant or inappropriate to consider for the new list?
N/A
Policy framework
To support the development of Reading Well for mental health a range of policies and reports relevant to the collection have been identified.
England
Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan (2025)
Neighbourhood health framework (2026)
Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism (2025)
Men’s Health Strategy for England (2025)
The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England (2026)
Wales
A Healthier Wales: our Plan for Health and Social Care (2024)
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025 – 2035 (2025)
Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (2015)
Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (2016)
Working Together for a Healthier Wales (Public Health Wales) (2023)
Scotland
Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2023)
Scotland’s Population Health Framework 2025-2035 (2025)
Women’s health plan (2021)
Public Health Scotland: Together we can create a Scotland where everybody thrives. Our 10- year strategy to 2035 (2026)
Northern Ireland
Mental Health Strategy 2021-2031 (2021)
Making Life Better – A Whole System Framework for Public Health 2013 -2023 (2013)
Health professional bodies
Royal College of General Practitioners
Mental health in primary care – currently under review.
Royal Society of Public Health
Public mental health: Evidence, practice and commissioning (2019)
A Place For Health: Building Health Across Society (2025)
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Loneliness and social isolation (PS06/19) (2019)
Menopause and mental health (PS02/26)
Social prescribing (PS01/21) (2021)
Suffering in silence: age inequality in older people’s mental health care (CR221) (2018)
British Psychological Society
BPS Briefing: Improving support for mental health
BPS Briefing: House of Commons debate on mental health and long-term conditions
Mental health organisations
Mental Health Foundation and LSE Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC), The economic case for investing in the prevention of mental health conditions in the UK (2022)
Mental Health Foundation, Pathways to Prevention: Ending Scotland’s public mental health emergency (2025)
Mental Health Foundation, Tackling mental health inequalities in the UK: expert consensus on priority areas (2025)
Mind and Centre for Mental Health, The Big Mental Health Report 2025
Rethink Mental Illness, Right Treatment, Right Time 2025 The true cost of delays in care and treatment for people living with mental illness (2025)
10. Are there any additional policies or reports that we should consider for the new collection?
Accessibility
The Reading Agency works to ensure Reading Well lists are as accessible as possible, including ensuring a diverse range of formats and types of books, providing information in Plain English and following accessible design principles. Within this context, consideration is given to the accessibility of the collection for the following groups:
- people with sensory impairments
- people with low levels of literacy
- people with English as an additional language
- people with learning support needs including dyslexia and neurodivergence
- people living with a mental health and/ or long-term health condition which impacts their ability to engage with and access support
- people with additional needs linked to being part of an at-risk population (as identified in the audience section).
- people at risk of, or experiencing, health inequalities and unequal access to care, as well as quality of care.
11. Do you have any additional comments on this?
We believe the accessibility principles listed are strong and we support inclusive access to the Reading Well collection.
It may also help to include a wider range of formats, such as audiobooks, large print, easy-read versions, and digital formats that work with assistive technology. This would better support people with sensory needs, low literacy, and different communication needs.
Simple and Plain English is also crucial, average adult literacy in the UK is often described as around entry Level 1-Level 2 which means many people benefit from information written at an accessible reading level
rather than complex language.
Finally, even though PTSD-specific content is not included in the collection, a trauma-informed approach to how materials are written and presented would help ensure content feels safe and easier to engage with. This is particularly important for people who may be experiencing co-occurring conditions.
Language and terminology
We are mindful that the language and terminology used in relation to mental health can have a significant impact, and that language evolves over time. We’re also aware that different people will have different perspectives and preferences. As part of our evidence mapping, we have referred to different guidelines, including:
- Mind Mental health language
- Mental Health Foundation Why the language we use to describe mental health matters
- Sussex Health & Care Changing the language: a guide to language for mental health
12. Do you have any additional recommendations around inclusive language guidelines for mental health that we should refer to?
Resource recommendations
13. Are there any books that you would recommend for the new list?
14. Are there any free-to-access digital resources that you would recommend for the new list?
Get.gg – Getselfhelp.co.uk (https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/)
CCI – Self Help Resources for Mental Health Problems
(https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/looking-after-yourself)
Overcoming | Self-Help & Mental Health | Hachette UK (https://overcoming.co.uk/)
Sleepio (https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/healthyminds/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2019/10/Sleepio-info-for-clients.pdf)
Promotion
Following the development of Reading Well for mental health we’re keen to promote and embed the collection across multiple settings to ensure as many people as possible have access to it.
15. What resources would help to promote the collection? [select up to 5]
☒ Print leaflets
☐ Digital leaflets
☒ Promotional graphics to display on screens (e.g. waiting areas)
☒ Promotional copy for newsletters, websites, emails
☐ Case studies on impact
☒ Promotional videos or animations
☒ Staff training materials
☒ Other [please specify]
- Social media toolkit (ready-to-use posts, hashtags, and images for partner organisations and libraries)
- Branded email signatures / banners
16. What opportunities, events and/or networks should we engage with to promote the collection?
Professional membership bodies, statutory regulators and wider health and care networks could provide valuable opportunities to promote the collection and increase awareness amongst both professionals and the public. These organisations often have established newsletters, websites, conferences and communication channels that could help disseminate the resource widely. This could include organisations such as the Royal Colleges, BABCP, BACP, UKCP, HCPC and Social Work England.
National mental health and public health organisations may also be important partners in helping to amplify the collection and reach wider audiences. Organisations such as Mind, Samaritans, Centre for Mental Health, the Mental Health Foundation, The King’s Fund, NIHR and the National Survivor User Network (NSUN) all have strong connections across policy, lived experience and community networks, which may help increase both awareness and accessibility.
Libraries Connected and the National Academy for Social Prescribing could also provide valuable opportunities to embed the collection within wider community wellbeing, prevention and social prescribing initiatives.
Universities, colleges and schools may be important settings for promotion, particularly in supporting early intervention, mental health awareness and access to trusted self-help resources for students and staff.
Healthcare settings including GP practices, hospitals, NHS Talking Therapies services, community health teams and health centres would also be important environments for promotion, as many people may benefit from accessing supportive resources whilst waiting for, receiving or recovering from treatment.
Workplace wellbeing services and Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) may also help widen access to the collection amongst working-age adults experiencing stress, anxiety, burnout or other common mental health difficulties.
17. Are there any opportunities within your organisation to help promote the new list once it has launched?
Potentially promoting the collection through the BABCP newsletter so that members are aware of the resource and how it can support those who need it.
There may also be opportunities to highlight the collection at the BABCP Annual Conference e.g. via having a dedicated stand and through wider professional networks linked to CBT therapists and psychological wellbeing practitioners working across mental health services.
BABCP welcomes the continued development of the Reading Well for mental health collection and recognises the important role that accessible, evidence-based information and self-help resources can play in supporting mental health and wellbeing.
We would encourage consideration of resources that support digital wellbeing, online harms and the impact of social media on mental health, particularly given the increasing concerns around anxiety, selfesteem and emotional wellbeing.
The collection should continue to complement, rather than replace, access to timely, evidence-based psychological therapies and wider mental health support. Promoting the collection across healthcare, education and community settings will be important in ensuring that individuals, families and professionals are aware of and able to access these resources.
