Health tech firm launches new trial to support NHS staff

Trils of an innovative self-reporting wellbeing tool are being employed to support GPs and clinical staff thanks to a new partnership between Hull-based health tech brand Moodbeam, and Agencia’s Primary Care Direct, a business that provides tailored support services to transform, grow and develop healthcare practices.

The eight week programme will take place at Amicus Health a GP practice in Devon and see the entire 70-person team use Moodbeam’s cutting edge self reporting wellbeing tool – Moodbeam One.

The revolutionary devices allows users to log how they feel in the moment via two buttons on the device. The information is then tracked within the device’s companion app and provides the suer with visualisations of mood information that can help them identify personal triggers and patterns.

With the information stored in the cloud, the data is visible to employers on a comprehensive dashboard providing a unique insight into how people and teams are feeling and coping. The aim being this can be a driver for employee engagement, people support and positive organisational change – and crucially allowing managers to step in and identify the most appropriate additional support for employees or teams.

Christina Colmer McHugh, co-founder and director at Moodbeam, said: “We all know it can be quite hard to raise issues at work, especially if you are having a tough time, but self-reporting prompts allow staff to simply track how their day is going and report indirectly to managers and HR. Our dashboard combines this information and gives employers real time feedback from staff without relying on appraisals or carrying out surveys.

“The most important thing we do at Moodbeam is to give a voice to employees within their organisation and make sure support is provided and that they do not reach crisis point in relation to mental health and wellbeing before employers are aware. After more than six months of restrictions and additional health pressures on the NHS, many GPs and their teams are understandably feeling the strain and we’re really pleased to be working with Primary Care Direct to support the NHS via these trials.”

Primary Care Direct, – provides support services to more than 85 primary care networks, which equates to over 600 GP practices.

Kiran Johnson, co-founder at Primary Care Direct, said: “The NHS People’s Plan places a heavy emphasis on staff wellbeing and the most important thing we can do in our business is to support the wellbeing of general practice teams, so this is the perfect opportunity to trial new ways of working, and we’re excited to be embarking on this adoptive trial of the Moodbeam One.

“We will be using the devices as a supplementary tool to our wellbeing procedures within the business. By having staff report how their day is going in real-time via the Moodbeam One, Primary Care Direct will be able to monitor how everyone is doing via the dashboards, making sure that if and where people do show signs of strain, we will be able to step in and support in a variety of ways before a crisis point is reached.”