Impacts to the Company
Although the KTP project is still in its early stages, it has already delivered tangible value for Lifelink. The first automation developed through the project now saves the Planning & Performance team around five hours of manual work each week, reducing errors and demonstrating the immediate benefits of streamlining data processes. This early success sets the tone for the wider transformation the KTP will enable.
Looking ahead, the project will have a significant impact on how Lifelink operates by consolidating data from multiple systems into a single, centralised warehouse. This will allow the organisation to access consistent information more quickly. As automated reporting and integrated dashboards are introduced, staff will gain clearer insight into service activity, outcomes, and operational needs.
Future project phases—such as the deployment of an intelligent scheduling system and the use of advanced analytics to explore historical data and emerging trends—will support more efficient use of staff time, improved service planning, and greater personalisation of support. Over time, these capabilities will help Lifelink optimise services, anticipate future demand, and reinforce its position as a leading provider of mental health and wellbeing support in Scotland.
Impacts to the Academic Team
The KTP provides the academic supervisors and the wider Digital Health and Wellness Research Group at the University of Strathclyde with a valuable opportunity to apply their expertise in data integration, optimisation, and machine learning within a real-world third-sector mental health context. By working closely with Lifelink, the academic team gains access to a unique, rich dataset that will support future research in areas such as data-driven service planning, wellbeing analytics, and the application of emerging technologies like optimisation algorithms and large language models to community mental health services.
The project is expected to generate publishable outputs, with planned contributions to journals such as Health Data Science and Healthcare Analytics. These publications will enhance the group’s research profile while demonstrating the practical impact of academic work on service delivery.
The collaboration also deepens the University’s engagement with industry and public-sector partners, strengthening Strathclyde’s position as a leader in digital health innovation. The tools, methodologies and evaluation techniques developed through the KTP will support teaching, student projects and future grant applications. Ultimately, the project provides an effective knowledge-exchange pathway, allowing academic expertise to be embedded in practice while expanding the research team’s real-world impact.
Impacts to the KTP Associate
The KTP offers the Associate a unique opportunity to lead a complex, high-impact digital transformation project while receiving support from both industry and academic experts. The role allows the Associate to gain hands-on experience in designing and implementing an end-to-end data architecture, including data warehousing, automated reporting, optimisation-based scheduling, and advanced analytics such as machine learning and natural language processing. Working directly with Lifelink’s operational teams provides valuable insight into real-world constraints, stakeholder engagement, and user-centred system design—skills that are difficult to develop in traditional academic or junior industry roles.
Because KTP Associates bridge academia and industry, the role strengthens the Associate’s professional profile, expanding networks across digital health, data science and the third sector. By the end of the project, the Associate will have a portfolio of substantial achievements and technical capabilities, positioning them strongly for senior roles in data engineering, data science, digital health innovation, or research.