Available
Project number:
2025_69
Start date:
October 2025
Project themes:
Main supervisor:
Lecturer
Co-supervisor:
Dr Angus Roberts
Additional Information:
Developing and testing of a novel natural language processing algorithm to identify recovery in mental health electronic records.
Background
To date there is sparse existing research that has examined non-symptomatic recovery amongst mental health services users. Electronic health records (EHRs) potentially provide a robust platform from which the occurrence of recovery can be detected over long periods of time for a defined population cohort. However, much of the information on recovery is recorded in free text clinical notes, rather than in the structured (such as drop down menus) portions of EHRs, making it difficult to extract and analyse such information.
Novelty and importance
This work will be one of the first attempts to detect functional recovery for a large cohort of mental health users. From a clinical perspective, identifying recovery could help support service users in their mental health recovery, moving away from thinking only about mental health symptoms and looking at recovery more holistically. From an informatics perspective, the problem is interesting because of the complexity of expressions used to describe recovery, and the assumption implicit in the text that the reader has world and domain knowledge. This will require a novel use of models that are able to handle implicature in language, such as recent large language models (LLMs).
Aims and Objectives
This project will aim to develop and evaluate natural language processing (NLP) models for the identification of recovery among mental health service users, using free-text data from de-identified electronic health records in one of Europe’s largest electronic health records databases.
We are now accepting applications for 1 October 2025
How to apply
Candidates should possess or be expected to achieve a 1st or upper 2nd class degree in a relevant subject including the biosciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics, data science, chemistry, physics, and be enthusiastic about combining their expertise with other disciplines in the field of healthcare.
Important information for International Students:
It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa. Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study. Further detail can be found under the International Students tab below.
Next Steps
- Applications submitted by the closing date of Thursday 30 January 2025 will be considered by the CDT. We will contact shortlisted applicants with information about this part of the recruitment process.
- Candidates will be invited to attend an interview. Interviews are projected to take place in March 2025.
- Project selection will be through a panel interview chaired by either Professor Richard Dobson and Professor Vasa Curcin (CDT Directors) followed by informal discussion with prospective supervisors.
- If you have any questions related to the specific project you are applying for, please contact the main supervisor of the project directly.
For any other questions about the recruitment process, please email us at
