Please note - Orcha is no longer available
Posted on: 4 January 2022
Today CNWL launches a new Health and Wellbeing App Library in partnership with ORCHA. The website helps you search and compare apps for free, so you can find the right one to keep you healthy and happy.
The apps will not replace any services you may be using, but rather complement them.
With the widespread ownership of smartphones and tablets, and the ever-increasing use of apps for anything from tracking jogging routes and providing dinner recipes, right through to monitoring heart rhythms, there is a real opportunity for apps to effectively support you in managing health conditions or your general wellbeing.
Unfortunately, with over 360,000 health apps in the most common app stores (Google Play, Apple etc) and with many not having any level of quality assurance, it can be incredibly difficult to find one that's appropriate, trustworthy and effective.
Our partner ORCHA has formed a team of people, including actively practicing clinicians, to independently review and accredit health apps against a large number of stringent criteria in areas such as clinical/professional assurance, data and privacy, and usability and accessibility; giving each app an easy to understand percentage score which will help you decide whether to download it or not.
The library also gives CNWL staff the ability to recommend apps to patients during consultations, by sending a text message or email link to the app where it is appropriate and if agreed with you.
There is a guide which may be of use to help you get started.