Tech innovations to improve physical health in mental health settings

We are working with Care City, North East London Foundation Trust, Essex Partnership University Trust, University College London and xim Ltd. to test new technology for the contactless monitoring of patient’s vital signs.

Physical health within mental health institutions is an area of concern for many mental health providers. The NHS Long Term Plan challenges us to implement technologies which will provide solutions to key clinical challenges. Lifelight® software developed by xim has the potential to provide just such a solution to the challenge of monitoring and managing deteriorating patients in mental health settings. It monitors heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate, reducing the equipment required to take a full set of observations. Through easier, less invasive and distressing observation monitoring technology, this innovation has the potential to improve outcomes for patients.

This programme is evaluating the effectiveness of the application as well as service users’, their carers’ and staff acceptability of this digital technology in mental health wards. The aim is to reduce the distress and discomfort of having vital signs taken in comparison to current methods. By improving the acceptability of monitoring, mental health professionals will be able to detect deterioration more consistently, plan for and provide life-saving interventions and identify other disease risk factors.