With demand for mental health services higher than ever, digital transcription services can help the NHS streamline processes

For several years, the story of mental health services in the UK has been one of steadily increasing demand. While the exact reasons behind this trend are multifaceted, one can point to major contributors such as the public’s increased exposure to the subject allowing them to become better informed, the reduced stigma surrounding the services in general, and people attempting to deal with the complexities of modern life. In 2019, however, this steady trend was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the catalysing effect it had on demand for mental health services. It has since become clear that this surge in demand was not a temporary anomaly; in 2023 referrals to such services leapt to a record 5 million referrals – an increase of a third compared to 2019 figures.

Of course, these figures are a reflection of more than just the raw demand for such services; they also demonstrate the major strides the NHS has made in improving access to these services for the public. The NHS 111 option 2 crisis line, for example, represents a hugely positive step in supporting this accessibility, providing a free-to-call service that allows the public to engage with and receive professional support and advice, 24/7.

With such high demand, efforts are underway across the NHS to ensure that patients can continue to receive adequate and timely care – one such initiative being the integration of digital transcription services, which aims to transform something traditionally labour- and time-intensive into a much more efficient process. With the right implementation, digital transcription can provide substantial boosts to accuracy and efficiency, working in near-real-time to capture the vital details of a patient’s condition, symptoms, and context of their crisis – allowing clinicians to focus on engaging with the patient rather than on making detailed notes.

At the same time, the digitisation of this previously analogue process means that clinicians have access to deep data analysis that would otherwise have been prohibitively time-consuming to produce. Trends, patterns, and risk factors can be identified to develop more effective intervention strategies, while keyword and phrase tags can prompt follow up actions, alerts, or notifications. There are a great many other benefits that can come with the introduction of digital transcription services, as we’ve detailed in our companion information sheet.

As NHS Trusts continue to adapt to this spike in demand for mental health services, it’s vital that they’re supported in areas such as these, which do not naturally scale up at a similar rate to referrals. On a broader scale, the NHS is continuing its campaign to digitise the processes that clinicians use and rely upon. The award of the Federated Data Platform (FDP) contract at the tail end of last year, and the ongoing push to adopt Electronic Patient Records (EPR) across the NHS are the headline initiatives, but there are also smaller steps that Trusts can take beyond those currently being targeted by the wider NHS organisation. By choosing the right partner for their digital priorities, NHS Trusts are able to navigate the individual pressures they face, ensuring that staff and patients are supported by systems and processes that work to provide the best possible care, and not hampered by avoidable bottlenecks.

At ITGL, we offer a suite of tools to help NHS Trusts save time and optimise workflows through the automation of a number of tasks – including digital transcription. The digitisation of such processes within the NHS serves a vital purpose in supporting healthcare professionals to deliver the best possible care and experience to patients experiencing mental health crises, while also lessening the administrative burden on NHS staff. To find out more about digital transcription services and how they can benefit your organisation, reach out to one of ITGL’s healthcare experts at health@itgl.com.