Around 75% of mental health beds in the UK are occupied by someone experiencing a relapse. CareLoop, developed through a partnership between The University of Manchester, National Health Service (NHS) clinicians and people with lived experience, is helping care teams spot early warning signs and respond sooner. The work is featured in the University’s Research impact, shaped together campaign, showcasing how collaboration drives research impact and supports more equitable access to timely, preventative health care.

CareLoop is a mobile app and clinician dashboard designed to help prevent mental health crisis and relapse for people living with severe mental health conditions, including psychosis and schizophrenia. People can log how they are feeling each day, while care teams can use the information to spot early warning signs and offer timely, remote support — helping more people stay well in their communities and reducing pressure on overstretched inpatient services.

The impact behind CareLoop is rooted in collaboration. Developed with NHS clinicians, University researchers, engineers and people with lived experience, the co-design approach shaped the app’s language, safeguards and study design so it fits clinical practice and reflects the priorities of those most affected. Clinical trials found it to be safe, acceptable and effective, supporting a shift towards earlier, preventative care and helping to tackle health inequalities.

CareLoop is now moving from evidence into wider use through CareLoop Health, a University spin-out working with NHS trusts and digital teams. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has completed an Early Value Assessment, indicating the technology shows promise and should progress through accelerated evidence-building. International pilots in Ohio and Massachusetts are also informing next steps, including staff training and better integration with electronic health records.

• Read the full case study and watch the accompanying film.