Saints Community Development Foundation is delighted to partner with ORCHA and Lancaster University to provide users with access to health and wellbeing applications.
This week, the Foundation is asking everyone to give health apps a try to help them stay fit and healthy during lockdown. They have launched a new, free health app comparison site where people across the community can find and compare health and care apps to meet their health goals.
There are apps to help users with a wide range of needs, from tracking your diet or following a HIIT training plan, to apps that help you to better manage your mental health or a long-term health condition such as diabetes.
Although there are plenty of apps on Google and Apple’s app stores, most either are not proven to work or don’t assure you they will keep your data safe. The charity’s app site features only apps that have been reviewed by experts at the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA), with each app’s score being made public on the site for users to access.
The team have road-tested the site and have already given the apps a try, including:
- Mental health advisor, Walter Brennann, who runs mental health workshops, recommends giving eQuoo a go. Developed by a psychologist and the makers of The Walking Dead games, eQuoo is a game that teaches you psychological skills in a fun and captivating way.
- Saints Player, Joe Batchelor, is giving Madbarz a go. It gives the user bodyweight Workouts, including muscle preview.
Commenting on the site, Joe also said “When staying at home, it can be hard to be motivated to stay fit, or it can bring additional concerns about how best to manage a long-term condition. During the lockdown and beyond we want to support our community and encourage everyone to think about their health and the health of their loved ones and find an app that can make a difference.
“Whether it’s finding an app to help your children brush their teeth better or discovering a way to connect with mental health support remotely, good apps can make a difference. We are proud of our members and want to do all we can to support at this time.”
Chris Chamberlain, Saints Community Development Foundations Business and Finance Manager said:
“This in an innovative approach from Saints Community Development Foundation as we move closer into digital engagement within our community. This new app has been created in partnership with Orcha and Lancaster University whilst being guided by feedback from key stakeholders to ensure the message meets the needs of the users. This app will provide a one stop shop providing upto date information and health tools”
Dr Sherry Kothari, Director of the Health Innovation Campus, Lancaster University, said: “We live in a world where smartphone and tablet apps are ubiquitous and offer solutions for a wide range of issues.
“However, if an organisation wishes to recommend a certain health or wellbeing app to their members, clients or staff they have a responsibility to make sure the advice and guidance offered within that app are backed up by robust scientific evidence.
“This is where Orcha’s service is invaluable as they undertake a detailed analysis of each app on their database and check it against a large number of evidential markers to ensure the app is providing valid information. Orcha is the NHS’ provider of choice when it comes to determining which apps it’s clinicians can prescribe as part of a patient treatment package.
“It is fantastic that they are offering this service for free during the Covid-19 crisis and we are delighted to work with them to set up partnerships with organisations like the Saints Community Development Foundation, which can now offer this helpful guidance to people in their community.”
Check out Saints Community Development Foundations health and care app finder here
