New research study aims to enhance NHS staff health and wellbeing

Mersey Care has teamed up with design and engineering firm Concentrix Catalyst to launch an innovative new pilot study aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of NHS staff.

The study involves more than a hundred members of staff in both clinical and non-clinical roles testing a new app, using an Apple Watch and iPhone, for 90 days.

Professor Dan Joyce, Chief Investigator and Professor of Connected Mental Health at the University of Liverpool and Consultant Psychiatrist at Mersey Care, explained: “The NHS 2023 national staff survey results show 41.71% of staff have felt unwell because of work-related stress in the last 12 months and 42.7% of staff often or always feel worn out at the end of their shift.

"At Mersey Care, we’re proud to be investigating new ways to support staff health and wellbeing which could serve as a model for supporting NHS staff nationwide.”

The iPhone app has been developed in partnership with the Trust's Staff Wellbeing team and Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service. The aim is to provide each individual user with an overall picture of their mental and physical health using powerful health sensors in the Apple Watch to measure sleep, heart rate, heart rate variability, cardio fitness, and physical activity levels.

The study app also gathers feedback from the user about their diet, mood changes and more information is shared through questionnaires. Using metrics from Apple Watch and study questionnaires, users are presented with personalised insights and wellness tips, empowering them to make changes to their lifestyle and behaviour to improve their health and wellbeing. 

Dr Jade Thai, Mersey Care's Senior Research Lead, said: "Thanks to the dedication of the Mersey Care Research and Innovation team and Informatics Merseyside, over a hundred participants have received the necessary technology, support, and guidance to take part in this study. Although we’re still in the early stages, we’re thrilled to see participants already taking positive steps to improve their health and lifestyle based on the data and analysis provided."

Sam Tanham, who works in Partnerships for Concentrix Catalyst, said:“The ESNTL Wellness platform has been designed and developed to enable individuals to privately understand, assess, and positively impact their own health and wellness. Our team is delighted to be partnering with Mersey Care on this meaningful initiative.”

The study prioritises user data security with data encryption, anonymisation, and compliance with privacy laws. It will be completed in December 2024 and the results will be published by Mersey Care in the next year.