With mounting evidence that mental health problems have become even more prevalent since the pandemic, in the UK, the government has developed a Mental Health Recovery Action plan. Backed by £500 million, it aims to respond to escalating mental health issues, specifically targeting groups that have been most impacted including those with severe mental illness, young people, and frontline staff.

During lockdown, services turned to digital, switching from in-person help to a range of digital services, such as patient-to-clinician platforms, digitally-enabled treatments, mental health and wellbeing apps, chatbots, and social support networks.

As services deliver against the mental health recovery action plan and COVID-19 restrictions lift, we ask: what is the role of digital now?

Click on the PDF icon below to download our report, and discover:

• Which patients prefer online support, advice, and counseling?
• Search volumes across mental health categories, including a 2483% rise for mindfulness apps.
• Why do only 32% of digital health for mental health meet quality thresholds? In which areas does this figure drop even further?
• 5 examples of mental health apps that meet standards.
• What should mental health recovery action plans include?

If you are experiencing any issues with downloading the report, or want to know more, please get in touch with us at hello@orchahealth.com.

A reported 40,000 fewer people started cancer treatment in 2020 due to COVID-19. As a result, for years to come, cancer services will need to diagnose and treat substantially more people, with many requiring urgent care.

Throughout the pandemic, healthcare teams adopted new technologies to ensure as many patients as possible could get the care they need. Digital health offers a wealth of features such as patient-reported outcome collection, remote monitoring, and self-management in real-time. There is growing evidence of the benefit of integrating digital into routine supportive care in oncology practice to provide improved patient-centered care. So to extend support again now, digital health should continue to be part of the solution.

ORCHA helps NHS services and leading cancer charities to make informed decisions on digital health, ensuring vital standards are met.

Click on the PDF icon below to download the Digital Health for Cancer Services Report, and discover:

• How is digital being used in oncology now?
• Why do only 24.7% of digital health for cancer meet quality thresholds?
• 5 of ORCHA’s 50 listed health apps for cancer
• What’s next?

If you are experiencing any issues with downloading the report, or want to know more, please get in touch with us at hello@orchahealth.com.

Amongst the 3.9 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the UK to date, it is estimated that around one in five people experience symptoms that last for five weeks or longer, and one in ten have symptoms that last for twelve weeks or longer.

Termed long COVID, people report a myriad of symptoms including chronic fatigue, breathlessness, loss of sense of smell, depression, and concentration difficulties. Already totaling an estimated 186,000 people, long COVID will bring mounting pressure on primary care services.

Within its COVID-19 rapid guideline for managing the long-term effects of COVID-19, NICE recommends health apps as part of giving advice and information on self-management.

Click on the PDF icon below to download the Long COVID Self-Management Report. Discover:

• The impact of long COVID on services today
• The scale of growth in the search and supply of apps to treat long COVID symptoms
• How, despite a 1087.5% rise in apps for COVID-19 in the first seven months of 2020, there is still no app development for the long COVID category
• Some of the highest-scoring apps to help manage long COVID symptoms

If you are experiencing any issues with downloading the report, or want to know more, please get in touch with us at hello@orchahealth.com.

A high proportion of people in the UK are overweight or obese, increasing their risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19. Meanwhile, social distancing and self-isolation impact face-to-face weight management services.

The use of technology is a good answer to providing services, but how can we provide evidence-based care, combat misinformation and ensure a rapid rollout of technology that is safe, effective, and does not put the public at risk of harm?

Our report, developed with The Association of UK Dietitians (BDA), outlines the situation and shares advice and best practice on how to embed digital health in weight management services.

Click on the PDF icon below to download the Digital in Weight Management Services Report. Discover:

• Why do only 21% of weight management apps meet standards?
• What does the clinical evidence say about weight management apps?
• How does the public perceive digital health for weight management?
• Which 10 apps should you know about?
• What practical steps can you take?

If you are experiencing any issues with downloading the report, or want to know more, please get in touch with us at hello@orchahealth.com.