Large study supports a flexible approach to remote mental healthcare

An analysis of more than 100,000 mental-health records found that greater use of phone and video consultations was not linked to worse outcomes for most patients.

Remote appointments expanded rapidly, offering convenience and continuity, but clinicians have lacked broad evidence about which patients benefit and who may need face-to-face care.

Researchers from King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust examined five years of routine records across many psychiatric conditions. For most people, remote-care use was not associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Among people with schizophrenia and related conditions, however, higher remote use was linked to a small increase in hospital admissions and emergency assessments.

The findings support remote care as a useful part of ongoing treatment while arguing against a single model for everyone. Because the study was observational, it cannot prove remote appointments caused the outcomes; services may already have selected them for patients considered more suitable.

Researchers say the next step is a flexible mix of remote and in-person support, with further work identifying which approach best fits different needs.