MeeTwo benefits young patients at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

DigitalHealth.London Accelerator Alumni MeeTwo was selected by our partner CW+ to trial their mental health app at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Results of the trial announced today, ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10th October, show its benefits amongst young patients.

The trial results come at a time when many young people’s lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic. Many have been forced to adjust to dramatic changes in their lives, ranging from taking classes at home with little contact with teachers and school friends, to a severely reduced social life with friends and family, and even concern about their futures and livelihoods. Some have also experienced bereavement of a loved one or increased social isolation.

Kerstyn Comley, Co-CEO, MeeTwo said: “We’re very proud to share the impact our trial at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital had on the young people involved. We are directly helping young people who are in desperate need of mental health support. The pandemic has turned many young peoples’ lives upside down and our MeeTwo app can deliver crucial mental health support. As Accelerator Alumni we continue to realise many of the benefits of the programme and the wider DigitalHealth.London network.”

CW+, the charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, have been working with MeeTwo to provide safe, fully-moderated peer support to young patients aged 11 to 25 undergoing physical or mental health treatment. The free app, created by social enterprise MeeTwo Education, enables users to anonymously share their feelings and help each other in a safe, moderated digital environment. Peer support has been shown to improve quality of life, wellbeing, self-esteem and social functioning, as well as reductions in hospital admission rates and use of hospital emergency services.

Rebecca Taylor, Hospital Youth Worker, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital highlights the benefits of MeeTwo, which can be used during a patient’s stay in hospital and continue to support them once they return home: “Interventions such as MeeTwo are necessary as they allow young people the support they need in a way which feels comfortable and accessible. Anonymity also enables them to express themselves openly, as they don’t need to worry about the stigma associated with mental health and the difficulty they are facing.”

The six-month trial on the Jupiter Ward at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, which typically treats 300 – 400 young people aged 13 – 15 each month for both physical and mental health issues, evaluated the usefulness of the emotional support provided via the app in a hospital setting. A small survey was conducted with female patients aged 12 to 17 who gave a 100% positive rating to the peer support aspect of the app and the fact that it is completely safe. The expert guidance provided by MeeTwo was found to be helpful by 87% of users and 75% confirmed they liked the creative component to MeeTwo as a support mechanism to express emotions.

The MeeTwo app trial was funded by CW Innovation, a joint programme between Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and its charity CW+, which focuses on introducing leading innovation initiatives and new technologies to the Trust’s hospitals, improving patient care and experience.

To celebrate World Mental Health day, MeeTwo have released a new animation to help young people understand how the app works. MeeTwo is a multi-award winning peer support app that supports over 40,000 young people aged 11 – 25. MeeTwo is free, safe and anonymous and is featured on the NHS Apps Library.