At a glance
A new digital tool is being piloted in three UK cities. EPICare is a digital tool that uses data to support healthcare workers in spotting psychosis earlier and helping young people access care sooner.
- A new digital tool to support earlier diagnosis of psychosis is being trialed in NHS trusts in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Birmingham, and Nottinghamshire.
- The EPICare tool analyses patient data to provide insights about treatments that help to tailor care.
- The EPICare tool was part of a NIHR TRC MH Mission project which involved experts by lived experience.
Early diagnosis can make a life‑changing difference for people who experience psychosis.
This month, researchers supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) announced the launch of a new digital tool designed to help clinicians identify psychosis earlier, with pilots underway in three major NHS Trusts in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Birmingham and Nottinghamshire. There are also plans to expand this to Greater Manchester and North London later this year.
The tool is a patient registry platform called Early Psychosis Informatics into Care (EPICare), which tracks information about patients collected in clinical settings. The goal is to help services intervene sooner, when treatment is often more effective and disruption to education, work and relationships can be reduced.
Why earlier diagnosis matters
Psychosis often first emerges in adolescence or early adulthood. Delays in diagnosis are common and can mean people miss out on early support. Research has consistently shown that long delays between symptoms starting and treatment can be linked to poorer outcomes.
Tools that help clinicians recognise psychosis sooner could support faster referral into specialist services, reduce distress for individuals and families, and improve long‑term prospects. The EPICare tool is not intended to replace clinical judgement, but to support it by providing healthcare professionals with more information.
How the EPICare tool will help
Early identification only helps if people can access the right care. By using data, clinicians can better identify the most suitable care pathways for patients experiencing psychosis symptoms for the first time.
The EPICare platform analyses data that patients provide during their early stages of care and delivers real-time insights on treatment, recovery and other important outcomes back to each patient's care team. This helps clinicians monitor progress and tailor care to each patient's recovery journey.
EPICare teams work with people experiencing a first episode of psychosis, typically offering coordinated support that can include medical treatment, psychological therapies, family support and help with education or employment. Their aim is to support recovery as early as possible and to help people stay connected to their communities.
This data-led approach has already driven major advances in care and outcomes for patients with cystic fibrosis and for patients with stroke and cancer. So, it is hoped that using the same approach will improve outcomes for patients with psychosis.
Research on a mission
The EPICare study is one of the flagship initiatives of the NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration Mission, which MQ is supporting.
In 2023, the NIHR and Office for Life Sciences announced they were on a mission to drive mental health research. MQ has been a Mission partner and is supporting the patient and public involvement, engagement and participation within the programme.
Last year, MQ produced a series of videos about people with lived experience and their role in supporting the development of the EPICare platform.
“By capturing authentic voices, participants help turn abstract research concepts into something more relatable and accessible, enabling wider audiences to understand the importance of co-production; where researchers work in partnership with people who have lived experience” says Dr Lesley Booth MBE.
“Participants were delighted with their experience, praising both the supportive environment and the opportunity to develop new understanding.”
Looking ahead
The launch of this new diagnostic tool reflects growing interest in how data‑driven approaches can support mental health care, particularly at critical early stages. As the pilots progress, further evaluation will be essential to understand how the tool performs in real‑world services and how it can be used safely and equitably.
At MQ, we support research that aims to improve understanding, prevention and early intervention in mental illness. Earlier and more accurate identification of conditions like psychosis is a crucial part of building a mental health system that works better for everyone.
