The ORCHA North West London Health and Care App Library, an NHS health and care app finder, used to support patients managing their health conditions and general wellbeing, will no longer be available from 1 February 2023. The apps on the library will not be affected.
Working with ORCHA (the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications), the app library was first launched by North West London in 2020 to make it quicker and easier to access safe, accredited health and wellbeing apps to the population of North West London.
Due to low user engagement with the ORCHA North West London Health and Care App Library app library and a significant increase in the cost of hosting the site, the North West London Primary Care Executive Committee has decided to discontinue the platform.
We recognise that NHS health and care apps are a helpful way for patients and carers to improve their health and wellbeing and navigate the NHS. The NHS continues to recommend a number of free health and wellbeing apps for use.
The most popular apps recommended by clinicians across NW London to support patient care are Combined Minds, Sleepio, Healthy Living for people with Type 2 diabetes, MindShift CBT - Anxiety Relief, WYSA sleep and meditation sleep stories to relax with, KOA Foundations Wellbeing, Brain in Hand, Calm, Daylight worry less, DBT Travel Guide and DistrACT. Patients and carers can also continue to search for NHS accredited apps via their app stores.
Thank you for your support and interest in the ORCHA North West London Health and Care App Library. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact nhsnwl.digitalfirst@nhs.net.