How Overhauling Data and Analytics Processes Helped Mind Address a Mental Health Crisis

Mind partnered with Ortecha, the data and analytics enablers, to harness the power of its data to ensure its community is heard.

Mental health services in the UK are stretched to breaking point. Years of austerity, coupled with the fallout from the pandemic have overwhelmed hospitals and led to a ‘national emergency’ in mental healthcare, according to a Guardian report.

Despite this, meaningful short-term reforms to the mental health sector have been desperately slow to materialise. Last year, the government shelved recommendations from an independent review of the 1983 Mental Health Act, making new legislation unlikely before the next General Election.

Amid the national crisis, organisations like Mind, the UK’s largest mental health charity, have stepped up operations to provide more support to struggling communities around the country.

Founded in 1946, Mind is a federated organisation of over 100 local associations and approximately 160 retail shops, overseen by a national body.

Considering its recent growth, Mind is rethinking its approach to how it uses data to support its mission. In September 2020, Selena Wark joined Mind as Associate Director of Digital, Data and Technology, and has been responsible for overhauling its data and analytics strategy, and vision.

“My role was to develop our first-ever data strategy, considering where we were, our progress, and how we were going to keep up with the fast pace of technology change, as well as planning for future agility and engaging our community,” Wark tells Orbition CEO Kyle Winterbottom in a recent interview.

However, Wark quickly saw the need for a deeper review of Mind’s data and analytics processes. She engaged Ortecha, the data and analytics enablers, to help them assess and uplift their data management capabilities.

“There are times when collaborating with external partners really clarifies things, affirming that we’re on the right track. Other times, it provides valuable food for thought, prompting us to build upon existing ideas,” Wark recalls.

“Working with Ortecha feels like having an expanded team. It’s more than just a supplier relationship; it’s a partnership,” she continues. “They get under the skin of the organisation, and you feel like they’re right there alongside you, helping to make transformation happen.”

Embracing Digital Transformation

When Wark joined Mind, she found a wide variety of attitudes to data and the potential benefits of digital transformation. As a result, her initial strategy was to enhance the organisation’s data culture, as well as its data architecture and tools.

“We set a new ‘North Star’ to bring everyone on board with the idea that data isn’t just an asset; it’s everyone’s responsibility. It’s a team effort, and we all have a part to play,” Wark says.

“Bringing people along on this journey was essential,” Wark continues. “Not just the leadership, but the entire organisation needs to understand their role and how they can help improve our data. This, in turn, helps them get better results for our supporters, our beneficiaries, and anyone affected by mental health.”

As it grew, Mind’s data and analytics operations became significantly larger and more complex. What’s more, like many organisations, the charity was grappling with digital transformation and evaluating how to use an influx of data to further its social mission.

The initial stages of digital transformation at Mind saw the charity implement a new customer relationship management (CRM) tool.

“We recognised the importance of data for supporting relationships, raising vital funds, and communicating with key supporters and policymakers,” Wark recalls. “However, once the CRM project was complete, we realised we were only at the beginning of our journey.”

Implementing the DCAM Framework

DCAM, the data management capability assessment model, has been developed by the EDM Council, a non-profit trade association, to provide a structured and comprehensive framework that sets out the essential components organisations need to consider in their data management practices.

“Our team, all DCAM certified, came on board to implement this model through an initial assessment and then capability uplift,” said Sean Russell, Managing Principal at Ortecha. “This helped frame the conversation not just with the team responsible for creating value with the CRM tool, but also educated the executive management about the ongoing process.”

However, data culture was not the only hurdle for Wark and Russell as they implemented DCAM at Mind. It soon became clear that the charity needed to build on its existing capabilities.

“That’s when we turned to DCAM, which told us that before we could achieve maturity, we needed to build capabilities. It allowed us to take a deep dive, not just into where we were, but also into where we had been,” Wark says.

“The DCAM framework also helped leadership; it made the concepts of data more accessible. Breaking it down into components, they could understand the complexity of our world and show the progress we had made in the last couple of years,” Wark continues. “It also made a case for why we needed to continue to invest and focus on our data.”

How DCAM Helped Mind to Use Data to Do Good

Implementing DCAM helped Wark to underpin the pillars of her data strategy with foundational agility and resilience. It also ensured that their systems were integrated seamlessly into a robust ecosystem that could flex and scale rapidly.

“We aimed to improve efficiency and productivity by streamlining and automating digitally enabled processes to reduce manual handling of data and operational risk,” Wark says. “We also aimed to improve the employee experience by making data and technology more responsive, which in turn reduces workloads and increases job satisfaction.”

Wark’s goal is for Mind’s digital transformation to transform the experience of its beneficiaries and supporters, and to increase the good the charity can do.

“This transforms the audience experience, ensuring that our beneficiaries, supporters, and partners feel recognised and that communications are timely and relevant,” she says.

“So many businesses, private or public are divorced from their data,” Russell adds. “But your data governs how you communicate with your supporters and [Mind] is so deeply invested in the well-being of their supporters, their end-users, and beneficiaries. I wish other companies would have the same level of care and interest as Mind does.”

Building Data and Analytics Capabilities

DCAM was an essential tool for Wark as she furthered the digital transformation agenda at Mind. It served both as a high-level communication method with leadership and as a practical tool for those handling different elements of data operations.

“Bringing leadership on the journey, sharing the importance of data and what it can do for your organisation is crucial,” Wark says. “Conducting a DCAM assessment provides an evidence-based view and industry benchmark of where you are and what the next steps should be. It is vital to do this with a trusted party.”

“The assessment was more than just an evaluation—it was an educational journey that greatly benefited our team, allowing them to test out ideas and ask questions. It’s been incredibly valuable,” Wark says.

However, DCAM is only one component of the capability uplift that can be achieved in partnership with a knowledgeable partner like Ortecha.

“We think about it across the entire organisation. We consider all roles: technical roles, data-specific roles, leadership roles, and even customer-facing roles that involve data collection, consumption, or analysis,” Wark explains. “It’s about integrating all aspects of data handling and collaboration throughout the organisation.”

By integrating data insights into daily operations, Mind aims to enhance the effectiveness of its support networks, advocate for better mental health policies, and empower individuals facing mental health challenges with better access to necessary services.

“We are fostering an environment in which Mind is digitally enabled and insight-driven, amplifying the collective impacts of our charitable efforts so that everyone with a mental health problem receives both support and respect,” Wark says.

This strategic use of data underscores Mind’s commitment to a future where mental health is understood and supported comprehensively across the UK.

This article was featured in the second Edition of our Driven by Data Magazine. You can download the magazine and read more articles like this by clicking here.