Healix develops new mental health screening tool

On 24th January 2024, Healix announced the launch of a brand-new mental health screening tool.

Healix Reflect was developed in-house by Dr Luke Kane, a practising NHS GP and Medical Officer at Healix. Specialist advice was also provided by Dr James Dove, an NHS consultant psychiatrist who set up one of London’s busiest acute mental health crisis assessment services. Accessible through a secure, self-service portal, the tool can be used in several ways, including screening people working in high-stress roles, before, during and after business trips and by businesses to support employee welfare assistance programmes.

Unlike the majority of mental health screening tools that often focus solely on depression and anxiety disorders, Healix Reflect enables businesses to screen employee mental wellbeing against all major psychiatric disorders.

The questions used in the screening tool are based on diagnostic interviews developed by the WHO, which is the international gold standard in mental health assessment. It includes a unique risk rating system that categorises individuals based on the severity and type of symptoms reported, allowing for a stratified approach to care and support.

Commenting on the development of Healix Reflect, Dr Kane said: “Early identification of mental health issues can significantly improve outcomes. Our tool aims to identify these issues sooner, facilitating timely and appropriate interventions.

“There's been a long-standing gap in mental health screening and support, particularly for conditions beyond the more commonly discussed anxiety and depression. Healix Reflect fills this gap, offering a comprehensive screening that can guide individuals to the right support and resources.”

Questions within the screening were carefully designed to be inclusive and sensitive to the wide spectrum of mental health issues, avoiding medical jargon to make the tool accessible to non-specialists and to ensure cultural sensitivity.

Dr Dove added: “The development of this tool underscores the importance of a holistic approach to mental health and recognises how interconnected various psychiatric conditions are, and the need for comprehensive care strategies.

“This tool reflects the complex nature of psychiatric diagnoses and advocates tailored support strategies for individuals requiring treatment. Support could range from self-help resources for those at lower risk to professional mental health services for higher risk individuals.”

“We believe in a proactive, rather than a reactive approach when it comes to mental wellbeing in the workplace.

“By providing a screening tool as comprehensive as Healix Reflect, we're helping businesses to raise the level of mental health support they provide to their employees and really deliver when it comes to duty of care.”