Providing NHS services

Information for GPs and NHS teams

This page is for healthcare professionals. If you are an NHS patient looking to self-refer, please visit our NHS options page.

Dr Neil Stanley

Independent Sleep Expert

Good sleep is vital for good mental, physical and emotional health, yet most healthcare professionals receive very little training on it. Good sleep builds resilience, supports the immune system and helps us cope with stress. We must prioritise sleep. Sleepstation delivers NHS-commissioned care pathways, and its digital CBTi programme can support improvements in insomnia symptoms within 3–4 weeks.

Sleepstation’s NHS-commissioned sleep support

Sleepstation provides a guided digital pathway for people experiencing persistent sleep difficulties and insomnia symptoms. In the UK, Sleepstation CBTi is registered as a UKCA-marked Class I medical device. The programme uses cognitive and behavioural methods for insomnia (CBTi).

CBTi, has an excellent evidence base and is recommended as a first line treatment for chronic insomnia by NICE, the British Association of Psychopharmacology and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, amongst other organisations.

Sleepstation gives clinicians an option to refer patients to an evidence-based digital programme aligned with clinical guidance. Patients receive structured, professionally guided support designed to improve sleep patterns and quality, reduce insomnia symptoms and build long-term self-management skills.

Trained sleep coaches work with input from our wider team to provide personalised guidance and encouragement throughout, so NHS patients are supported at every step.

More than 80% of NHS patients who follow the Sleepstation CBTi programme report clinically meaningful improvements in their sleep, and published evaluations and evidence from real-world NHS of Sleepstation CBTi use show that engagement rates are consistently high – with over 90% completing two CBTi sessions or more. When compared with figures reported in the wider literature on automated digital CBTi options, Sleepstation’s engagement appears notably higher, although these comparisons come from separate studies rather than a head-to-head evaluation.

Why NHS commissioners choose Sleepstation:

Evidence-based: aligned with NICE guidance, using CBTi as the recommended first-line treatment
Evaluated in real-world use: assessed in published studies and supported by ongoing real-world evidence from more than 13 years of NHS-commissioned delivery.
Regulated: UKCA-marked medical device (for UK use)
Low risk: Few contraindications and a benign side-effect profile
Practical and accessible: delivered online at scale, user-friendly and designed to fit into daily life
Supported: patients receive structured guidance from trained sleep coaches throughout the programme
Engaging: consistently high engagement rates across NHS cohorts, and notably higher than those reported for automated CBTi in published studies
Personalised: support tailored to each person’s needs, goals and progress.

Dr Moulin

GP at Amersham Vale Practice

I am grateful for your service. Especially for patients who are suffering from mild and moderate depression. Most of them have sleeping issues but waiting time for therapy is now between four and six months. Referring to Sleepstation helps them wait. This gives me an extra option to make patients feel less abandoned.

Sleepstation is embedded in most GP systems – it’s quick and easy to refer

If Sleepstation is not yet available in your systems, simply download the form and email it to us.

Download and complete the form below
Email the form to tnu-tr.sleepstation@nhs.net

We’ll handle everything else

Download referral form

Version 21: effective from December 2023

Sleepstation supports more new NHS patients in a single month than the largest sleep clinics in England report accepting in an entire year

This reach is possible because Sleepstation’s support programmes combine proven methods with a digital-first model that is accessible anywhere. By removing traditional barriers such as geography, waiting lists and limited clinic capacity, we can deliver evidence-based insomnia support at scale, while maintaining the personal touch that keeps NHS patients engaged long enough to realise the benefits.

Make Sleepstation available in your area

Sleepstation is currently* available in 36 of the 41 Integrated Care System regions of England, giving NHS patients timely access to evidence-based digital support for insomnia.

If Sleepstation’s programmes are not yet available for your patients, we can work with you to explore commissioning options. Contact us to find out how to provide structured, supported CBTi-based guidance at scale, without the barriers associated with in-person services such as long waits or limited clinic capacity.

*Last updated: September 2025

Long-term insights from Sleepstation CBTi

In independent published evaluations and real-world NHS use over 13+ years, Sleepstation CBTi has been shown to produce large improvements across measures of sleep quality and quantity.

Because Sleepstation has been available in NHS-commissioned services for over 13 years, we have long-term real-world insights from follow-up which indicate many people continue to benefit from the skills and strategies learned during the programme.

CBTi itself is supported by decades of research and is recognised in clinical guidelines as the first-line approach for persistent insomnia, with evidence of improvements in sleep, mental health, wellbeing and quality of life.¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵

Some studies have found that CBTi can offer longer-lasting benefits than pharmacological approaches for adults with persistent insomnia. ³ ⁴

These findings relate to CBTi as a therapeutic approach, not to any specific digital programme.

Patient attitudes toward CBTi

Studies examining patients’ acceptance of psychological and pharmacological therapies for insomnia have concluded that patients view CBTi positively for long-term management – with many reporting it to be preferable to taking medications for managing insomnia over the long-term.⁶ ⁷ ⁸ ⁹

At the same time, research indicates that clinicians often expect lower patient uptake of CBTi than patients themselves report.¹⁰

Sleepstation’s onboarding team provide clear explanations to help people feel prepared and confident from the outset. Our expertise in engagement means NHS patients are supported to understand the benefits of CBTi, feel confident in the programme and are more likely to stay the course. Engagement rates for Sleepstation CBTi have been consistently high. When compared with figures reported in the wider literature for automated digital CBTi options, Sleepstation’s engagement rates appear much higher – these comparisons come from separate studies rather than direct head-to-head evaluations.

Professor Joe McDonald

Medical Director, Consultant Psychiatrist

As a consultant psychiatrist for 30 years it is always tempting to prescribe hypnotics when you are seeing a patient complaining of insomnia but with all the attendant risks of dependence, hangover, road traffic accidents etc. it is usually a mistake. Sleepstation offers an effective and low-risk alternative to prescribing which has been used in over half of England’s General Practices.

Heather

72, from Cambridge

I think it’s an excellent programme. I had taken strong sleeping pills for about 15 years before starting on the programme. It’s also an excellent example of how the NHS can use new technologies to offer support to people in what I think is a cost effective way. I am a total fan!

Before Sleepstation

Time asleep 5h 42mins

Time in bed 7h 30mins

After four sessions

Time asleep 7h

Time in bed 7h 35mins

Read more about our results on our results page.

Sleep medicine training

We offer free educational webinars for NHS referrers. Sessions are delivered online and are available at no cost to practices or organisations with at least five attendees.

The training provides a practical introduction to recognising common sleep problems in primary care and understanding the range of support options available.

Programme outline:

What sleep is and why it matters
Taking a brief sleep history
Understanding common sleep problems and support options
Pharmacological treatments for insomnia
Non-pharmacological treatments for insomnia, including CBTi

To register your team, email training@sleepstation.org.uk

FAQs

In areas where Sleepstation is commissioned, access is fully funded for NHS patients.
If a patient lives in an area without NHS provision or prefers to use Sleepstation privately, they can choose to purchase access themselves. We also offer limited grant-funded places from time to time to support patients who might otherwise be unable to access our support programmes.

The Sleepstation service isn’t available on the NHS everywhere. It’s currently available in some parts of the UK only. If you’d like to find out if Sleepstation is available for your patients please email nhs@sleepstation.org.uk.

You can refer patients to Sleepstation through your usual GP clinical system or by completing our online referral form.

We only accept digital referrals. Completed referral forms should be sent to tnu-tr.sleepstation@nhs.net.
You can download a blank referral form here.

Sleepstation CBTi provides an NHS-commissioned, digitally delivered option for adults with persistent insomnia symptoms. It is registered as a Class I UKCA-marked medical device and is designed around cognitive and behavioural methods recommended by NICE as the first-line treatment for insomnia.

Access to specialist insomnia services in the UK is extremely limited, with fewer than ten dedicated centres nationwide. Many patients face long waits for behavioural support, leaving primary care with few practical alternatives beyond short-term hypnotic prescribing. While medication can be helpful for acute symptoms, it is not recommended as a long-term solution.

Referring to Sleepstation gives patients rapid access to a structured, guided programme built around proven CBTi principles. The service helps people address the patterns and behaviours that keep insomnia going, supports long-term self-management and can be delivered at a fraction of the cost of traditional care pathways.

For many patients, Sleepstation CBTi offers an effective non-drug alternative that fits seamlessly alongside existing NHS provision and expands access to the recommended first-line approach for insomnia.

Many clinicians assume that patients prefer medication, even when they believe CBTi would be more appropriate. This perception is common, but the evidence shows it is often mistaken.

39% of general practitioners in a UK study indicated that patient demand is the reason they use pharmacological treatments for insomnia. Similarly, a survey of Australian GPs indicated that the most common barriers to using a non-pharmacological treatment for insomnia were patients wanting/expecting medication (31%), followed by noncompliance due to the effort required for non-pharmacological treatment (21%). 49% of Belgian family physicians indicated that they felt it is too difficult to motivate patients for non-pharmacological treatment for insomnia.

However, studies show that patients perceive CBTi as healthier and preferable to taking medications for managing insomnia over the long-term.

Sleepstation’s online CBTi programme has been shown to be effective and can effectively resolve even the most chronic insomnia, with long-lasting benefits and fewer side effects than pharmacological interventions.

Sleepstation CBTi can resolve insomnia symptoms and improve quality of life for over 80% of patients who engage with the programme. Further information can be found here.

References

Alberta Medical Association (2015) Assessment to management of adult insomnia. Clinical practice guideline.\ ↩︎
Sateia MJ, Buysse DJ, Krystal AD, Neubauer DN, Heald JL (2017) Clinical Practice Guideline for the Pharmacologic Treatment of Chronic Insomnia in Adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Sleep Med 13(2), 307-349.\ ↩︎
Ree M, Junge M, Cunnington D (2017) Australasian Sleep Association position statement regarding the use of psychological/behavioral treatments in the management of insomnia in adults. Sleep Med Suppl 1, S43-S47. ↩︎
Qaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, Cooke M, Denberg TD; Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians. (2016) Management of Chronic Insomnia Disorder in Adults: A Clinical Practice Guideline. Ann Intern Med. 165(2), 125-33. ↩︎
Wilson S, Anderson K, Baldwin D, Dijk DJ, Espie A, Espie C, Gringras P, Krystal A, Nutt D, Selsick H, Sharpley A (2019) British Association for Psychopharmacology consensus statement on evidence-based treatment of insomnia, parasomnias and circadian rhythm disorders: An update. J Psychopharmacol 33(8), 923-947. ↩︎
Morin C, Gaulier B, Barry T, Kowatch R.A, Patients’ Acceptance of Psychological and Pharmacological Therapies for Insomnia, Sleep, Volume 15, Issue 4, July 1992, Pages 302–305.\ ↩︎
Vincent N, Lionberg C. Treatment preference and patient satisfaction in chronic insomnia. Sleep. 2001;24(4):411–417. ↩︎
Azad N, Byszewski A, Sarazin FF, McLean W, Koziarz P. Hospitalized patients’ preference in the treatment of insomnia: pharmacological versus non-pharmacological. Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2003;10(2):89–92. ↩︎
Siriwardena AN, Qureshi MZ, Dyas JV, Middleton H, Orner R. Magic bullets for insomnia? Patients’ use and experiences of newer (Z drugs) versus older (benzodiazepine) hypnotics for sleep problems in primary care. Br J Gen Pract. 2008;58(551):417–422. ↩︎
Ulmer CS, Bosworth HB, Beckham JC, et al. Veterans affairs primary care provider perceptions of insomnia treatment. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(8):991–999. ↩︎

See all references