As a developer, staying up to date with the latest app regulations and standards is essential.

In this blog post, we highlight the importance of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Brought into effect in May 2018, GDPR is a new, Europe-wide law that replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK.

As set out by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), all businesses and organisations operating within the EU must comply with GDPR. If your app controls and/or processes personal information, you are accountable for the handling of this personal data and sensitive personal data. As such, GDPR requirements include: the need to be transparent about how personal data is processed; data must be adequate, relevant, accurate and kept up-to-date; data must not be kept for longer than is necessary, and must be processed such that there is appropriate security of the personal data.

In the GDPR, ‘personal data’ is defined as ‘any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’)’, ie. ‘one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.’

Under the GDPR, you must appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) if your core activities include large scale processing of special categories of data, which includes information relating to an individual’s health. The GDPR defines ‘data concerning health’ as ‘personal data related to the physical or mental health of a natural person, including the provision of health care services, which reveal information about his or her health status.’

To access the full GDPR regulations, please click here.

Click here to read FAQs specific to small health sector bodies on the ICO’s website.

According to the MHFAengland (Mental Health First Aid England) 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues each year and mental health is the single largest source of burden of disease in the UK. Around 70-75% of people with diagnosable mental illness receive no treatment at all. This potentially offers an interesting opportunity for digital health solutions, such as mobile health applications.

To explore this opportunity, ORCHA has reviewed more than 350 of the market’s most downloaded, Level 4 Mental Health apps, looking at more than 226 criteria across three main components: Data Security (DS), Clinical Assurance (CA) and User Experience (UX).

To reveal the results, we’ve plotted their results in a 3D chart.

This reveals 3 key takeaways:

1.       Amongst the apps that scored above our quality threshold (65%), there were three (Red Circle) that scored exceptionally high which were Wysa, Brain in Hand and Sleepio. Wysa is also currently the highest scoring App on ORCHA’s appfinder across all health conditions, with a score of 93%.

2.       The App circled in blue (DGT Onderweg) is interesting as it scored similarly to some apps above our quality threshold, with the exception of a particularly poor score for Data Security. Similarly, in the Purple circle there are multiple apps that straddle the 65% boundary, indicating that a small change to any of the three domains could push them above the threshold.

3.      119 of the Apps were Green, 117 were Amber and 119 were Red, indicating an almost perfect split between the three bands. The biggest area where these Apps could improve is Clinical Assurance.

To explore our 3D chart, click here.
Or to read our mental health app reviews, follow this link.

Our reviews look at all of the elements expected by health bodies to ensure the safe and effective usage of a health app. This includes areas such as information governance, technical design, security, user experience, clinical safety and effectiveness. After reviewing almost 6,000 apps, we’ve built a clear understanding of the health app ecosystem, including the common areas where apps need help and the leading specialists who are able to help.

So, if your app is found to need attention in one or more area, our ORCHA Connect service will introduce you to a suitable specialist supplier proven to deliver results to developers. There is no currently no charge to receiving an ORCHA Connect introduction. If you want to speak with someone from our ORCHA connect service, please email us today: billie.kerr@orcha.co.uk

Despite the fact that there are currently estimated to be over 46 million people worldwide living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, dementia still often carries a social stigma and can be hidden away within families and communities.

In support of World Alzheimer’s Month, an international campaign running throughout September to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that surrounds dementia, we are exploring the role health apps can play in managing dementia and caring for those affected.

According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, the worldwide costs of dementia are estimated at £671 billion. As a result, if dementia care were a country, it would be the world’s 18th largest economy. If it were a company, it would be the world’s largest by annual revenue. Given this cost of dementia care and the fact that there is one new case of dementia worldwide every three seconds, additional support is necessary to meet the increased demand for dementia care.

Health apps can make a huge difference to dementia patients by offering an extra level of support. Apps range from memory muscle, to tracking the whereabouts of a loved one, to Young Onset Dementia. ORCHA helps to meet the demand and need for trustworthy dementia apps by assessing relevant apps in terms of their Clinical Assurance, Data Privacy and User Experience.

Here are three top scoring apps, reviewed by ORCHA, that are designed to help people with dementia and their carers:

DST: Dementia Test is a medical device that can help to detect the early stages of dementia, and can be used over a prolonged period by allowing users to save their results.

Dementia guide for carers and care providers is a pocket guide for both care providers and carers of people with dementia, providing information on a range of topics from people who have firsthand experience of caring for those with dementia.

TabCare is an app that incorporates a Panic Alarm, location tracker and heart-rate monitor. A patient can press the Panic Alarm at any moment to alert their carer, who will then receive location information so that the user can receive the help they need.

Due to our continual re-review process, all app scores are subject to change. As such, we’d always encourage you to view our app reviews on our App Library, as this reflects Live data and app updates which are continuously changing. Our re-review process ensures that the most up-to-date information for the latest version of an app can be accessed via our App Library.