LBU Impact Series: Leeds Beckett research team partners with urgent care provider IC24 to tackle stress in NHS 111 call centres
A new research-driven collaboration between Leeds Beckett University and urgent and primary healthcare provider Integrated Care 24 (IC24) is using innovative technology and psychological science to improve staff wellbeing and reduce stress for NHS 111 call handlers.
The three-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, part-funded by UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) through Innovate UK, brings together researchers in psychology and AI to design and implement a novel solution that can identify, predict and respond to stress in real time.
IC24 – a not-for-profit social enterprise supporting the NHS with over a million 111 calls annually – is working closely with the research team to embed the system into daily operations. The goal is to better support frontline staff, reduce burnout and staff turnover, while improving overall patient care by ensuring referral to the most effective medical support – such as GP surgeries, walk-in clinics or emergency services.
Dr Jim Morgan, Head of Leeds Beckett University’s Psychology Applied to Safety and Health research centre, is leading the project and said: “IC24 are embracing innovation and change to disrupt how healthcare services are currently delivered, creating a happier workforce who can provide a better service, and in turn reduce strain on emergency services. Using a forward-thinking approach, we’ll be able to identify and predict workplace stressors and monitor employee wellbeing in near real-time.
“These tools will provide actionable insights – by identifying high-risk stress situations and integrating the new technology with IC24’s existing platforms, they will be able to respond quickly and create tailored programmes to support colleagues.”
Dr Andrew Catto, Chief Executive of IC24, said: “We are committed to developing innovative solutions that support our employees’ mental health. This project builds on our successful collaboration with Dr Jim Morgan, where we funded a psychology PhD student to investigate and improve patient safety outcomes in NHS 111. It was through this project that we identified key challenges for supporting our workforce in high-stress environments.
“The wider potential impact of this project is huge – including improving outcomes for patients and reducing burden on other NHS services such as A&E and ambulance services.”
The KTP project will be delivered by a dedicated graduate KTP associate, who will work full-time within the IC24 team, supported by academic experts from Leeds Beckett.
Dr Jim Morgan has previously led three Leeds Beckett University KTPs in the area of workplace safety culture – all of which were rated Outstanding or Very Good by Innovate UK.
Joining him on the project are:
- Professor Grigoris Antoniou, a leading AI specialist with extensive NHS digital health experience
- Dr Farrukh Saleem, Senior Lecturer in Computing
- Dr Therese Fozard, Senior Lecturer in Psychology
- Dr Samet Arslan, Lecturer in Psychology
All are contributing expertise to co-develop a solution that is not only innovative but grounded in evidence and scalable across other urgent care environments.
For more information and to apply for the KTP Associate role – AI and Wellbeing Research Lead – please visit leedsbeckett.ac.uk/jobs/ The closing date for applications is 16 June 2025.
Leeds Beckett University is currently ranked eighth in the UK for its number of active KTPs.