Science-backed behavioural health support app Holly Health achieves 89% in ORCHA approval

Science-backed behavioural health support app Holly Health achieves 89% in ORCHA approval

• Holly Health has received the ORCHA Health App Quality Mark, with a score of 89%, putting it in the top 2% out of 1100+ assessed apps
• Personalised digital coach can now be recommended by healthcare professionals worldwide, to support physical and mental health behaviour change
• Demand for NHS mental health services is at an all time high with 1.5 million currently on waiting lists
• 10 million people in the UK will require mental health support as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic
  

LONDON, 29th March - Today, Holly Health, the first evidence-based digital coach to address burnout and problematic eating behaviours, has received the ORCHA Health App Quality Mark, with a score of 89%.

Launched in August 2021 by ex-Deliveroo, Facebook, Microsoft and Aldi Operations and growth lead, Grace Gimson, and Oxford and UCL alumni and Neuroscientist Dr. Claire Wu, Holly Health was inspired by the explosion of people experiencing daily physical and mental health burnout due to the pressures of the modern world.

The adaptive and personalised digital coach is already being used by thousands worldwide to help individuals make lasting changes to their health, addressing burnout and psychologically restrictive behaviours by looking at the full picture: physical, mental and emotional health.

ORCHA is the world’s leading review platform for digital health innovation and ensures that new digital technologies meet trusted standards and regulatory requirements. The Holly Health app is also now included in the ORCHA Digital Health Library, enabling health and care professionals to recommend or prescribe quality checked digital treatments for their patients.

Out of 1100+ assessed apps - including Noom, The Fabulous, Second Nature and Fitbit - the ORCHA score puts Holly Health in the top 2% of all apps, and in the top 3 apps for stress, sleep and weight management.

Holly Health’s CEO and Co-founder Grace Gimson comments, “We are immensely proud that Holly Health is now recommended by ORCHA. As the number of people with mental health issues continues to rise, we know that health services are already over-stretched. With our digital coach, we provide an evidence-based solution that can help to close that gap, providing physical and mental health support on a large scale in both a comprehensive and compassionate way.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a large factor on the rise of mental health illnesses worldwide. By early 2021 in the UK, depression in adults had more than doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to pre-pandemic times, from 1 in 10 in 2019 to more than 1 in 5 by January 2021.

It is estimated that 8.5 million adults will require mental health support as a direct impact of the pandemic. Waiting lists for mental health services are also at an all-time high with 1.5 million people currently awaiting support for eating disorders, addictions, severe anxiety or depression. Holly Health can provide immediate behavioural support, whether someone is waiting to access NHS services or to complement existing care.

Claire Wu, CPO and co-founder of Holly Health notes, “Both Grace and I have experienced times of burnout, feeling overwhelmed and unable to get on top of our own health, when busy or overstressed, and we realised the need for a sustainable daily mindset and more regular motivational support to stay in control. Research from Harvard shows that consistent, small healthy habits can add 7-10 additional disease-free-years to a person’s life. That’s one of the reasons Holly Health is so unique - it knits together personal experience and scientific data. With many individuals struggling to get the right personalised coaching and support at the moment, we hope Holly Health can provide immediate and rewarding guidance.”

To find out more about Holly Health, please visit: https://hollyhealth.io/