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By the Health Innovation Network South London’s Head of Mental Health, Aileen Jackson.
Concerns about mental ill health and its impact on employment have grown significantly in recent years. The UK Government’s Get Britain Working white paper paints a stark picture: mental health is now the largest work-limiting health condition among people under 45. For younger people, the number reporting that mental illness limits their ability to work has soared by over 400% in the past decade.
In this context, innovation is no longer a “nice-to-have” – it’s essential.
To address this, innovators have been tackling how the NHS, employers and communities can respond to the growing challenge of mental ill health in the workforce.
Why mental illness is a workforce crisis
In the Get Britain Working white paper, mental health is mentioned more than any other health condition – 33 times, to be precise – reflecting its central role in the broader employment challenge.
And it’s not hard to see why. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed an already over-stretched mental health system beyond its limits with referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) rising by more than 50%. Meanwhile, NHS mental health staff are burning out, leaving behind increased waiting times and unmet needs.
When people can’t access timely mental health support, it’s no surprise that many find it hard to hold down employment or to return to work after illness. The result? A workforce that is increasingly fragile and unsupported, especially among younger generations.
Innovation: A lifeline for the mental health system
While the challenges are significant, the response from healthcare innovators has been both creative and effective. Across the UK, forward-thinking projects are not just improving mental health outcomes, they’re directly supporting people to stay in or return to meaningful employment.
Some of the Mindset innovators, we support, have digital solutions in their portfolio that focus on early intervention. One example is our collaboration with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust to implement BfB Labs’ Lumi Nova, a therapeutic gaming app designed for young children with anxiety. Lumi Nova doesn’t just treat children – it equips them with lifelong skills in resilience potentially reducing their risk of serious mental illness as they grow into working adults.
Other innovators working in this space are Scenegraph Studios who offer a six-part mindfulness course for children and young people, and Phase Space who help young people in education reduce feelings of anxiety, regulate their emotions and grow in confidence.
Both help users manage their mental health in and outside the apps by teaching mindfulness skills that can be applied to everyday life.
Immersive tech for a digital generation
Several tech companies supported through the Innovate UK Mindset-XR programme are using virtual and augmented reality to enable mental health support to be accessible and appealing to young people.
InsideOut, Tend VR, alongside TellMi (a peer-support app for teens) have all received a share of £1.7m from SBRI to further develop their products particularly focusing on how they can positively impact users’ employability and workplace wellbeing.
These innovations recognise that for digital-native generations, conventional care pathways often fall short. By providing digital-first, evidence-based solutions, they’re bridging the gap between clinical care and real-world user needs.
Addressing the hidden barriers to work
Mental health conditions like Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) are often overlooked yet can be deeply disruptive to working life. Through another SBRI-funded partnership, the HIN South London is working with Samphire Neuroscience and Queen Mary University London to evaluate Nettle, a non-invasive brain stimulation device designed to reduce PMDD symptoms.
By improving access to effective, non-traditional treatments for lesser-known conditions, this kind of innovation directly supports people to stay in work and maintain a better quality of life.
A whole-society responsibility
While the Get Britain Working white paper puts mental health at the heart of productivity discussions, economic output is only part of the story. Work is not just about earnings, it’s about purpose, social interaction, and stability. A mentally well workforce benefits not just GDP, but society as a whole.
That means the responsibility for change cannot rest solely on NHS shoulders. Employers, universities, schools, communities need to all play their part.
With the right support and investment, the innovators we’re working with today are helping to redefine what mental health care looks like, and in doing so, support a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce.
The way forward
Mental ill health is a complex and growing challenge, innovation has a part to play in the path forward. By rethinking how we deliver care, supporting people earlier, and embracing both digital and human-led solutions, we can turn today’s crisis into tomorrow’s opportunity.
The good news? Those solutions already exist. Now it’s up to all of us – policymakers, health and care providers, employers, educators, innovators and communities to work together.
Read the full list of Mindset immersive tech solutions.