Liverpool hosts innovative mental health technology forum

CHILDREN'S and young people's mental health, early psychosis and mood disorders were 3 of the leading topics discussed at a groundbreaking conference in Liverpool to discuss how technology can shape the future of mental health care.

The 'Forum for Mental Health Technology Innovators' event was hosted at:- Liverpool's iconic Royal Liver Building and attended by the Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC), members of the technology sector, NHS health leaders, clinicians and academics.

The event was organised by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre for Mental Health (MindTech) on behalf of the NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC) Mental Health Mission (MHM).

The decision to hold the event in Liverpool reflects the innovation and advances made in mental health research to improve care and treatments by M-RIC. The groundbreaking research facility is a partnership between:- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Liverpool and a key demonstrator site in the MH-TRC-MHM.

Professor Dan Joyce, Director of Research and Innovation at Mersey Care and a Lead Investigator within M-RIC, said:- "It is fantastic to see events such as this taking place in Liverpool. The City has a rich history of pioneering developments in health, and here at M-RIC we are passionate about not only continuing this but spotlighting all the innovative research currently taking place here. Events like this are a great opportunity to put into practice our goal to make the City a world leader in mental health science. Throughout the day I saw clinicians and academics connect with demonstrators from the technology sector to consider how our work can come together to make advancements in mental health. I am excited to see what innovation will come out of the day and how we can translate it into improved care for our service users."

Delegates came together to discuss the facilitation of healthcare innovation in 3 core areas; children and young people's mental health, early psychosis and mood disorders. They reflected on the current unmet clinical needs in mental health, and identified opportunities in which collaboration and innovation could bring Mission members closer to meeting those needs.

Attendees heard presentations on the development of digital therapeutics for mental health, how to overcome barriers to innovation, and future opportunities to drive forward research. The MH-TRC MHM will continue to support opportunities for members to connect and continue to increase capaCity in mental health research.

Professor Chris Hollis, Director of MindTech, added:- "MindTech have a strong track record of working with companies to develop and evaluate their products and supporting them with widespread adoption into the NHS. It's fantastic to see new innovations appearing in the mental health space, addressing unmet needs and supporting future healthcare. We're delighted to have brought stakeholders together to discuss challenges in the field, as well as kick start new collaborations. The keynotes have been fascinating, and we were pleased to hear from both industry and academic perspectives. Liverpool has been a fantastic host City and it's been great to run this event in partnership with M-RIC and we look forward to taking some of these ideas forward."

NIHR HealthTech Research Centre for Mental Health (MindTech) and The Health Innovation Network also attended. MindTech partners researchers, clinicians, patients and companies to design, develop and deliver safe and effective mental health technologies for the benefit of patients. The Health Innovation Network helps the NHS and social care sector adopt and spread innovations to improve health outcomes.

The Health Innovation Network South London's Mindset-XR Innovation Support Programme was also represented. The programme has played a key role in fostering discussions and connections in the extended reality space.

App to spotlight children's and young people's voices

CHILDREN and young people in Liverpool will now have even more of a say in the support they receive from services thanks to an innovative app.

Liverpool City Council has teamed up with nationally recognised Mind of My Own to start rolling out 2 apps that will be used by children, young people and care experienced young people in the City who receive care and support organised by the Council.

The apps, which are already used by many Councils, allow children and young people to communicate with professionals, such as social workers, personal advisers and support staff, in a new way. The apps capture the true voice of children and young people who can share their views, wishes and feelings as well as give feedback on a whole range of topics from preparing for child protection conferences to looked-after children reviews and also sharing good news and successes.

Liverpool City Council will be using 2 Mind of My Own apps. The "One" app will be available for all children and young people whilst the:- "Express" app will be available for younger children as well as those with additional support needs. The apps have been especially successfully in giving a voice to children and young people who find social interaction challenging.

A further app:- "SHOUT" will also be rolled out later this year which allows surveys to be created to gather children and young people's views on wider issues.

Professionals working with children, young people and care-experienced young people will encourage them to use the app, initially supporting them as they use the technology and then encouraging them to use it independently as and when they would like to.

The apps are completely safe to use, complying with GDPR, the Data Protection Act and the Information Commissioner's Office's Children's Code, and can be used on laptops as well as phones. They are also available in over 100 languages.

Cllr Liz Parsons, Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Social Services, said:- "Our partnership with Mind of My Own is really exciting and will make a real difference to how children, young people and care-experienced young people become involved in influencing their support as well as other aspects of their lives. Mind of My Own is well established at other local authorities and professionals have found it invaluable in getting the right support in place for the children and young people that they look after and including:- them in wider discussions about their lives. Mind of My Own will also be a vitally important tool for us as we continue our journey to becoming a Unicef Child Friendly City and during our ongoing improvement journey to excellence. Listening to children and young people and involving them in decision-making, whether about their own lives or the wider work of the Council, is not just a nice-to-have, it must be integral to what we do, and Mind of My Own will help us achieve this."

Alistair Eaton, CEO Noveva Software Group, owners of Mind of My Own, said:- "We're thrilled to have Liverpool on board and excited to start capturing the voices of their children and young people. Since inception, Mind Of My Own has partnered with over 120 children's services, helping to amplify hundreds of thousands of young voices. We look forward to supporting Liverpool in giving their children and young people a stronger platform to be heard."

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Liverpool hosts innovative mental health technology forum

App to spotlight children's and young people's voices