Using Electronic Health Record to target future psychological distress
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility of implementation of a novel risk calculator informed by natural language processing of electronic health records in the Clinical Records Interactive Search (CRIS) system to enhance routine detection, early intervention and targeted prevention in people at high risk for severe mental illness (SMI)
IRAS ID
306675
Contact name
Kathryn Greenwood
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Kent, Surrey and Sussex have high numbers of people with emotional and substance use problems, which are risk factors for severe mental illness (SMI). 95 out of every 100 people at risk of SMI who are referred to mental health services don’t get the mental health support they need.
We want to know whether a newly developed risk calculator can be used with our patient data to find out who is most at risk of SMI and provide them with targeted support.
First, we will set up the individualised risk calculator so that it works with our patient databases in Sussex and Kent to identify patients who are at risk of developing severe mental illness.
Next, in a small feasibility study, we will use the calculator to find the new patients each month who are most at risk of developing SMI. We will contact the mental health or care workers for these patients and provide them with a popular specially adapted ‘treatment choices’ booklet, website and training video. We will invite them to speak to their patients and to refer patients to take part in the study and receive their own copy of the booklet and website pack. Health and care workers and patients who agree to take part in the project will complete questionnaires initially, and 3 months later about their use of the interventions, their views about the risk calculator, and how helpful they found the resources. Patients will also complete a short mental wellbeing questionnaire. Half the patients and health and care workers will receive the pack immediately and the other half will receive it after 3-months. A smaller group of health care workers and patients will be invited to tell us what they think about the project in a more detailed individual interview.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0872
Date of REC Opinion
9 Feb 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion