NHS 'My Therappy'

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but an app a day keeps brain block at bay!

The use of phone and computer programs to aid brain injury recovery is booming with over 100 apps now free to download via the National Health Service.

The NHS’s 'MyTherappy'service, founded by neurorehabilitation experts, offers a database of recovery apps which have been tested by clinical specialists and patients.

Descriptions, star ratings and user reviews help patients and OTs select the app most suited for purpose under the categories of ‘Stroke or Brain Injury’, ‘Occupational Health’ and ‘Independent Living’.

And of the 123 apps currently available, 103 can be downloaded for free, with the remaining ranging in price from the cheapest, a ‘swallow prompt’, at 60p to the most expensive, a speech and language app, at £199.99.

The apps help address difficulties with:

• Thinking
• Communication
• Arms and fingers
• Vision
• Mood
• Eating and drinking
• Doing things
• Being active
• Relaxing
• Pain

There is even a section for anyone who’s ‘Got questions’ or wants to know which apps the MyTherappy team were unable to recommend.

Now in its third year, the service was instigated by an award-winning neurorehabilitation team at Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust who believe:

• Apps can improve your recovery and are a useful treatment tool.
• Selecting the right app is key.
• Information should be easily and freely available for patients and clinicians.
• Helping patients’ recovery is priority.

MyTherappy has received resounding praise across the public and private healthcare sectors, with the UK’s brain injury association, Headway hailing it as “Excellent!”.

The service is not affiliated with any app developers and each app must meet 50 strict criteria before being given the stamp of approval.

The database is open to all and is continually growing, but some of the free apps currently on offer with ratings of 4/5 stars or more include:

• The Virtual Hope Box (mood) – this contains simple tools to help patients with coping, relaxation, distraction, and positive thinking
• Conversation Therapy (communication) – targets higher-level expressive language, pragmatic, problem-solving, speech & cognitive-communication goals
• Pain Management Plan (pain) – employs a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approach to help develop self-management skills
• SitFit (being active; arms and fingers) – a seated programme in gentle exercise, fitness and stretching

For further information about MyTherappy and to search for apps, visit here