NHS AND PRIORY ADOPT NEW AI-POWERED TOOL TO CUT MENTAL HEALTH WAITING TIMES
A revolutionary digital platform developed by Cambridge-based health tech company Psyomics is reshaping how millions of Britons access mental health support.
The platform, called beseen, has been rolled out across five NHS mental health trusts and the Priory Group — the UK’s largest private mental health provider, renowned for treating public figures such as Kate Moss and Robbie Williams. The adoption means that around five million adults, nearly one in ten of the UK population, can now access faster and more data-driven mental health assessments.
The launch marks a major step toward tackling one of Britain’s most pressing healthcare backlogs. With more than 1.4 million adults waiting for mental health treatment — and patients nearly ten times more likely to face delays compared to physical health services — the need for digital solutions has become urgent.
Developed by a research team from the University of Cambridge, beseen captures in-depth data from patients about their symptoms and circumstances. This allows clinicians to receive comprehensive reports that guide treatment decisions and integrate seamlessly into existing electronic medical records. The platform has already achieved a 78% completion rate, a vast improvement over traditional paper-based systems, and a quarter of submissions are made outside normal clinic hours, increasing accessibility for working adults and carers.
Crucially, patients no longer have to repeatedly recount their personal histories to different professionals — a factor often described as distressing. Instead, beseen’s data-sharing approach helps to streamline diagnosis and personalise treatment.
Dr Melinda Rees, CEO of Psyomics, said: “Every single additional day of waiting for your turn to get to the top of the waiting list is a day of unnecessary suffering. By using data-driven insights we are enabling clinicians to make faster, safer decisions while giving patients a voice in their own care journey. The fact that NHS patients will now have access to the same technology as private healthcare providers represents genuine equality in mental health services.”
The system’s rollout extends beyond private institutions like the Priory. It is now active in Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and others — ensuring that even communities with high rates of mental illness, such as Haringey in North London, benefit from the same tools used in private healthcare.
Early feedback has been strikingly positive: 71% of users said the platform was “easy” or “very easy” to use, while 82% felt it covered all aspects of their mental health.
Dr Rees and her team are now raising £7.5 million in pre-Series A funding to scale operations globally, following strong growth since the commercial launch in 2023.
Jess Lievesley, Chief Operating Officer at North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT), said: “Our collaboration with Psyomics represents a significant advancement in how we support mental health across the communities of North Central London. By combining NLFT’s clinical expertise with Psyomics’ cutting-edge digital innovation, we are making it easier for individuals to access timely care and creating a more personalised experience.”
With mental illness estimated to cost the UK economy £300 billion annually — and more than 1.35 million adults out of work due to depression or anxiety — the integration of intelligent digital tools such as beseen may prove vital to addressing both the human and economic toll of the mental health crisis.
