Mindler acquires NHS online mental health service supplier

Swedish digital therapy firm Mindler has acquired ieso Digital Health UK, an online talking therapies service available to more than 20 million adults through the NHS.

The acquisition will combine Mindler’s digital therapy platform with ieso’s video and typed cognitive behaviour therapy and AI-powered clinical tools.

ieso Digital Health has collaborated with NHS Talking Therapies for more than a decade and holds contracts with one third of the integrated care systems in England as well as a national contract in Scotland, which will continue as part of Mindler. 

Erica Larson, group chief executive at Mindler, said: “ieso’s work in the UK has set a gold standard for scalable, evidence-based digital therapy. 

“We are thrilled to bring their expertise, clinical insight, and NHS relationships into the Mindler group. 

“Together, we will offer the most comprehensive digital mental health platform in the UK – one that supports patients throughout their care journey.”

Demand for mental health services continues to outpace supply across NHS pathways with around 3.8 million people in contact with NHS mental health, learning disability, and autism services between 2023-2024, up almost two fifths compared to before the pandemic. 

However, according to Rethink Mental Illness, patients are eight times more likely to wait over 18 months for mental health treatment than physical health treatment. 

Through the acquisition, Mindler and ieso Digital Health UK aim to support a wider range of mental health needs through both live and asynchronous therapies.

The expanded offering is intended to allow greater flexibility in how care is delivered, along with deeper clinical capabilities and more actionable data insights. 

Charlotte Housden, managing director at ieso’s UK, said: “ieso has already delivered more than 640,000 hours of therapy to patients. 

“Joining Mindler allows us to further amplify our impact while staying true to what has made ieso UK so trusted by patients and NHS partners alike. 

“With Mindler’s support, we’re excited to expand our services and continue delivering care to the tens of thousands of patients who rely on us every year.”

The acquisition is specific to ieso’s UK telecare services business which provide mental health services to the NHS. The parent company, ieso, remains focused on delivering mental healthcare through evidence-based clinical AI and will continue to maintain its brand name.

Kent Tangen, chief executive at ieso, said: “We’re proud to have supported thousands of lives through ieso’s UK telecare services. That legacy will always be a part of who we are. 

“With those operations now in excellent hands at Mindler, ieso is committed to building the future we’ve long envisioned: delivering safe, effective AI-powered mental healthcare at scale.”

He added: “As AI adoption accelerates, mental health is emerging as one of its most urgent and natural use cases. The market is moving fast, and so are we.”

Mindler’s previous acquisitions include Finnish MedTech startup Medified and The Sandbox, a UK-based digital mental healthcare service for children and young people.

The firm also recently closed a €15 million (£12.9m) round; a mix of equity and debt, led by Claret Capital.