How we use our data

Improving our current services through data insight

We use data to continuously monitor and improve the Shout service, ensuring it is well-staffed, identifying peak demand times, and supporting our clinical team in delivering high-quality care.

In 2020, we saw significant spikes in activity, with conversations increasing by over 50% following major news events, such as celebrity deaths or national lockdown announcements (see Half a Million Conversations Through a Pandemic). By combining this data with where people had heard about the service, we could pinpoint how events and social media posts drove increased demand. These spikes often, though not always, continued for several days, allowing us to adjust staffing and communication strategies to meet demand and better support those in need.

We also gain valuable insights into our texters’ needs. For example, 35% of texters identify as LGBTQ+ and around 20% of texters in 2024 are on the autism spectrum, compared to just 1% of the general population. These insights help us create targeted content, enhance volunteer training, and form partnerships with organisations reaching similar audiences.

Using the data to generate mental health insights

Mental Health Innovations aims to provide new insights into mental health across the UK. We’re tackling this through a mix of data analytics, data science, and qualitative psychology, while also building academic research partnerships.

Our report, Half a Million Conversations Through a Pandemic: The Power of Text for 24/7 Digital Mental Health Support, highlights some early findings. Notably, children and young people are most likely to reach out about self-harm and bullying and 55% of all texters had no one else to turn to.

We’re enhancing our data capabilities by expanding the Data Insights team, integrating insights from our clinical supervisors, building a new data environment, forming partnerships with leading researchers, and collaborating with top data scientists. These efforts will help us generate valuable new mental health insights.