Randomisation and masking
depression, anxiety
Patients were randomised via telephone/email link to the Centre for Biostatistics at the University of Manchester. Within each site, participants were stratified by sex and screening HADS score (anxiety score> = 8; depression score> = 8; both> = 8), then allocated to trial arms in a 1:1 ratio using randomised blocks of size 4 and 6. The chief investigator, RAs, and trial statisticians were masked to treatment allocation throughout data collection and analysis. Instances of accidental unmasking were recorded to assess their frequency and severity, which was routinely reviewed by the Trial Steering Committee.