Increasing demands on health and care services are exacerbated in Dorset as the Dorset population is ageing, bring more long-term conditions, with funding unable to keep pace with the growth in demand. Digital and health and care apps playing a key enabling role to support systems to achieve their ambitions within this pressurised setting.

NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), Our Dorset, and Dorset HeathCare have collaborated with the Integrated Care System to provide the Dorset App Library; the App Library being a place where individuals can find a range of health or care apps and digital health products that can support with health and wellbeing.

Partnership with the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications (ORCHA) means that health professionals are provided with awareness, accessibility, and trust to recommend the use of health apps to the population for supported self-management. When a new app is nominated, it will first be reviewed by ORCHA before being used by Our Dorset.

What are the service user benefits?

  • Easy, central access to a range of digital tools to enable and promote self care and improve wellbeing.

  • Confidence that apps within the library meet standards in the domains of:

    • Data and privacy
    • Professional assurance and clinical safety
    • Usability and accessibility
    • Interoperability
    • Technical security and stability

  • Staff able to recommend apps via email or text message from the app library directly to residents and patients.

How is this being implemented in Dorset?

  • A case study summarising Our Dorset’s implementation of the ORCHA project is available here.