Technology Transforms Mental Health Care: How Centred Scotland is Leading the Way
When you’re delivering mental health support across the vast Scottish Highlands, every minute counts. Centred, Scottish Highlands leading charity for mental health, has implemented technology to support workers and transform paper-based processes.
From Spreadsheets to Digital Solutions
Centred has been supporting people with mental health challenges since 1987, when it began as Birchwood Highland. Following their 2022 rebrand, they now operate a 23-bed residential recovery unit in Inverness, provide home care services in Caithness, and run Recovery Colleges in three locations.
Like many care organisations, they were managing everything through traditional methods—spreadsheets for staff rotas, paper-based care plans, and manual record keeping. The system worked to a point, but when Covid-19 hit and working patterns had to change rapidly, processes had to adapt.
Making Life Easier for Care Workers
The transformation came through partnering with The Access Group (www.theaccessgroup.com), implementing care planning and people planner systems. The impact has been substantial.
Care workers now have everything they need accessible through their mobile devices. Client information, care plans, and schedules are all available at their fingertips. The system even integrates with mapping applications, allowing care workers to easily locate homes in remote areas where postcode coverage can be unreliable, saving valuable time.
“By digitising our service, it has resulted in staff requiring fewer visits to the office as they now have everything at their fingertips,” explains David Brookfield, Centred’s Chief Executive. “Scheduling has been a life saver and the added protection measures within the system ensure there are no conflicts.”
Digital solutions now support staff in their daily work, allowing them to focus more on the people they’re helping rather than administrative tasks.
Real Results, Real Benefits
The improvements extend beyond convenience. Brookfield describes the changes as delivering “better management, more organisation, and better communication with regards to support plans and daily allocations.”
Staff satisfaction has increased notably—partly because scheduling conflicts have virtually disappeared, but also because workers have more flexibility in how they organise their time. In rural Scotland, where recruiting and retaining skilled mental health professionals is challenging, this kind of improvement in working conditions makes a genuine difference.
Expanding Reach, Maintaining Quality
The timing of this digital transformation has been perfect. Centred is planning to expand into rural Highland areas where other organisations have struggled to establish sustainable services. Their Recovery Colleges are also growing their impact across local communities
“Our aim is to be totally electronic in terms of our data recording and administration, and Access has enabled us to almost achieve this,” explains Brookfield. “We want to improve administrative effectiveness and efficiency and to reduce our overhead costs.”
This isn’t simply about modernisation—it’s about freeing up resources for direct care. Every hour saved on administration is an hour that can be spent supporting someone through their recovery journey.
A Partnership with Purpose
Anisa Byrne, General Manager of Care at The Access Group, reflects on the collaboration: “We’re incredibly proud to be supporting the dedicated staff at Centred in their vital work across the Scottish Highlands. Their commitment to improving mental health services in rural communities aligns perfectly with our mission to empower care organisations through technology. We look forward to continuing this partnership as they expand their reach and impact.”
Looking Forward
For other care organisations across Scotland facing similar challenges, Centred’s experience offers genuine hope. Their success demonstrates that digital transformation doesn’t require wholesale change—it requires thoughtful implementation that prioritises the needs of both staff and service users.
In a sector facing increasing pressure, Centred’s approach shows how practical technology solutions can strengthen the human connections that lie at the heart of effective mental health care.
