Brighter Outlook™ is a preventative service, aimed at helping people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) to manage their condition by warning them of periods of increased risk to their health and providing them with treatments to manage their condition.

Brighter Outlook™ combines gloomy weather alerts issued by the Met Office with light therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help people with SAD.

Brighter Outlook™ - South West pilot

Brighter Outlook™ was piloted in Cornwall from February to the end of April 2009. The Met Office, Outlook South West and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust worked together to provide the service.

Everyone enrolled on the service was provided with a light box and a self-help booklet that included some tried and tested self-help strategies. These ideas were based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and provided common-sense approaches to managing the symptoms of winter depression.

When gloomy weather was forecast, the Met Office provided alerts to people enrolled on the scheme. Participants could choose to receive the alert either by email, text message or through an automated phone call. The purpose of the alerts was to give them 48 hours' warning at times when the level of gloominess meant they were at risk of their SAD symptoms becoming worse. This would prompt them to:

• Make use of their light boxes
• Practice the healthy living routines provided in the self-help booklet

These actions were aimed at reducing the effect of the gloomy weather on their health.

Results of Brighter Outlook™ pilot 2008/9

What's next

We are currently not providing Seasonal Affective Disorder forecasts direct to patients. However, we are exploring options of how to make the most of our forecasting capabilities in this area.

To find out more about the Met Office's health forecasting services and expertise please contact our Customer Centre or email health@metoffice.gov.uk.