After months of winter, summer is a time when many of us take action to feel healthier and more energetic. But a gym can be too intimidating and expensive. Step forward: the inspirational charity Fitmums, that assigns a mentor, who, after a couple of coffee meet-ups, helps people to start their journey to fitness in a wide range of community fitness and running sessions. It’s partnered with ORCHA (click here to read the article on their website) to help its members access a wide range of safe and effective health apps to further embed health into their everyday lives. See its founder, Sam Barlow, explain why, and the results being seen.
Bradford district has a young population and is set to be the youngest population in Europe by 2020. With a big digitally native population, growing-up with the internet and smart phones, the CCG identified the opportunity for mobile health apps to support individuals and professionals in the management of care. We spoke with Dr Taz Aldawoud, Bradford GP and Clinical Board Member at NHS Bradford Districts CCG, to understand why the CCG is turning to apps and what is important for them.
Rachel Dunscombe is a member of Matt Hancock’s Healthtech Advisory Board, CEO of the NHS Digital Academy, and now global (non-US) leader and senior evangelist at KLAS, the collaborative of 170 healthcare organisations across 10 countries.
Here, Rachel and her colleague, Jim Ritchie, explain how they led the introduction of health apps at one of NHS England’s global digital exemplars (GDEs). Rachel was recently the director of digital at the Northern Care Alliance (NCA) NHS Group, which included Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. ORCHA advised Rachel on which apps perform well and fit the organisation’s objectives.
Providing vulnerable young people with access to safe resources to help manage their health
Suicide is the biggest killer of under 35s in the UK, making charities like Papyrus vitally important. Papyrus is a national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide. ORCHA has provided Papyrus with their own digital microsite, an online platform that helps young people to manage their mental health.
Papyrus want young people to be able to access information to support them with their suicidal thoughts, and use apps that are safe and secure. Without access to ORCHA’s App Library via Papyrus’ microsite, young people are at risk of downloading apps that could have a negative impact on their health or encourage suicidal behaviour. ORCHA reviews apps according to their clinical effectiveness, data privacy and user experience, ensuring that users will be able to distinguish between safe and unsafe apps, unlike on unregulated app stores.
Watch our video above, where Papyrus discusses how ORCHA’s provision of a digital health tool allows their advisors to recommend apps to the young people directly, thereby providing vulnerable young people with access to safe resources to help manage their health.