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 three 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.