ORBIT-UK - Institute of Mental Health

This programme is funded by NIHR Invention for Innovation Transformative and Disruptive Innovations (i4i TDI): NIHR503712. The project began in January 2026 for the duration of 3 years.

What is ORBIT?

ORBIT (Online Remote Behavioural Intervention for Tics) is a behavioural therapy based on exposure and response prevention (ERP) designed for young people aged 9-17 diagnosed with tics and Tourettes syndrome. It is being delivered through the newly developed online therapist-support platform currently being implemented into the NHS.

ORBIT ERP supports people with tics to tolerate the uncomfortable sensation they may feel just before a tic is about to occur, and aim to resist it. Through practise, the tool aims to help users break the link between the urge and the tic. This new, transformative service for tic disorders in the UK will also reduce waiting lists and improve access to care.

Following ORBIT's conditional recommendation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2025, the team will take previously researched and evidence-based online behavioural therapy intervention and turn it into a patient-ready digital tool deliverable at scale within NHS England, allowing young people diagnosed with tics and Tourette syndrome access to effective evidence-based treatment through NHS care.

ORBIT is undergoing real world service evaluation through NHS-integration, by being rolled out across 5 NHS England sites. The first phase of implementation will launch across the following sites: Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), North East London NHS Foundation Trust, and Suffolk and North East Essex ICB, with an ambition to expand nationally.

ORBIT-UK is co-led by Dr Charlotte Hall, Principal Research Fellow and Kelly-Marie Prentice, Project and Implementation Senior Manager for ORBIT.

The project brings together teams from:

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ORBIT has been through a variety of phases over the project duration. Learn more about the previous phases below:

ORBIT 1 (NIHR HTA)
ORBIT 1 (NIHR HTA)
This programme is funded by NIHR Heath Technology Assessment (HTA) (Ref 16/19/02).

The Online Remote Behavioural Treatment for Tics study (‘ORBIT’ for short) was a four-year project.

This project involved working with young people and their families to test out two new online behavioural treatments for tics and Tourette syndrome. The study aimed to see whether they are also useful for children and young people in England.

What did the team do?

Similar online treatments had already been tried out in Sweden, and the team worked to translate this exisiting exposure and response prevention (ERP) intervention.

What did this do?

The randomised control trial results showed a reduction in participants tic severity at the 6 month follow up.

Process evaluation always suggested big savings in clinical outlets whilst also addressing and meeting an unmet clinical need.

The project was a collaboration between:
ORBIT 2 (NIHR i4i PDA)
ORBIT 2 (NIHR i4i PDA)
This programme is funded by NIHR i4i Product Development Award (PDA): NIHR205467.

Project began on 1^st April 2024 for the duration of 36 months.

What did the team do?

The team developed a commercialisation and adoption strategy, and worked with Blüm Health and their patient and public involvement (PPI) panel to integrate ORBIT into an NHS-compliant platform.

What did this do?

ORBIT was included in NICE early value assessment as viable intervention, recommending a service evaluation for ORBIT.

The project is a collaboration between: