The Digital Technology Assessment Criteria for health and social care (DTAC) gives staff, patients and citizens confidence that the digital health tools they use meet clinical safety, data protection, technical security, interoperability, usability, and accessibility standards.

To accelerate the adoption of the DTAC across NHS and Social Services, we are offering a 10% discount on ORCHA DTAC reviews booked at HETT.

ORCHA conducts independent, expert DTAC certification. We have assessed digital health products, such as My Life Plan, against the DTAC. Read more about their experience of the DTAC below.

To book your DTAC, see us at Stand C52 or email katie.gillett@orcha.co.uk

My Life Plan’s Experience Of The DTAC

MY LIFE PLAN is an online adult weight management plan. It was created by MoreLife, a subsidiary company of Leeds Beckett University which provides programmes and services to individuals to help them change their behaviours.

MY LIFE PLAN is promoted by NHS England as one of three digital options for those wishing to live a healthier life.

Produced by a small team, MY LIFE PLAN takes a scientific approach to weight management, looking at the whole person. “It’s not about calories in, calories out,” said Howard Samson, Digital Product Manager. “We look at sleep, exercise and portion size. This isn’t a quick fix, it’s a lifestyle change.

“When it comes to our competitor apps (like Noom and Slimming World), we are a small fish in a big pond but we are unique in that we give a very personal touch, with one-on-one coaching from dieticians as part of our level two offer. A lot of people come to us when they’ve tried and failed with one of the bigger names and want to do something different.”

When MY LIFE PLAN first launched with NHS England in April 2021, such was the demand that extra dieticians were recruited almost immediately. To date, two thousand clients have joined the 12- week programme and there should be capacity for 30,000 per year in the longer term.

THE CHALLENGE

As an NHS supplier MY LIFE PLAN needed to complete the new DTAC (Digital Technology Assessment Criteria). The team was aware this would be a complex, lengthy process not a quick fix and that being DTAC-certified was a moving feast. They could pass one day and on the next day one of the many regulations against which they’d been measured could be changed or added to, or they’d update their own programme, and they’d need to re-submit.

THE SOLUTION

MY LIFE PLAN selected ORCHA as its partner for the DTAC. The process took five months and was achieved in a series of steps, with sections submitted and feedback given.

As part of the DTAC, the programme was tested against usability and accessibility plus its technical security and robustness. The DTAC also considers clinical safety and risk, medical device regulations, data protection and user journeys, amongst many other factors, depending on the nature of the product.

Where the developers needed more support, ORCHA offered subject specialists to give clarification. For example, when the security of the programme was raised, the ORCHA review team put Howard in touch with colleagues who were experts in penetration and performance testing. This approach was also taken with the data protection element of the programme.

The MY LIFE PLAN team were conscious that keeping on top of DTAC requirements was not a one-off job but a continuous process and it was recommended that they signed up for an ORCHA subscription package, so that their programme could be kept in a ‘compliance vault’ and regularly reviewed against any regulatory or in-programme changes.

REFLECTIONS

Howard said:

“The DTAC is brand new, so we have nothing to compare it to but I know we all feel we’ve had great support through a complex process. ORCHA’s experts have been very clear and have broken down all the complexity so it’s become manageable.”

Liz Ashall-Payne, founding CEO of ORCHA, said:

“We have many clients preparing to go through the DTAC with us. The process takes time, as there is a lot of documentation to gather. Also, if the developer team is small and they don’t have some necessary expertise in-house, it can be held up, although there are many areas where we can provide support.

“Our advice is to treat the DTAC as a live process and to gear up for frequent re-reviews so that your app or programme remains fully compliant once the initial certification is complete.”