The Department of Health is highlighting a range of apps available to help people stay healthy over the winter period.
Apps can be a good source of information, advice and motivation to help keep well during cold weather and help stave off or manage common winter illnesses.
A selection of Health and Social Care apps are available which provide clinical guidance to manage conditions such as asthma and common childhood illnesses, as well as advice on improving our physical and mental wellbeing such as preventing falls, managing anxiety and stopping smoking.
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Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Winter can be a particularly challenging time for people managing health conditions that can be affected by the cold weather, stress or isolation.
“Using apps can help to access clinical advice, monitor symptoms and track progress against health goals. A range of apps which have been assessed by health professionals has been put together to provide easy access to information and advice from trusted sources on smart devices.
“Digital solutions are increasingly important to support the delivery of health and social care. These apps can be downloaded and accessed free of charge and provide fast and accessible information 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.”
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Tom Simpson, Deputy Chief Digital Information Officer in the Department of Health said: “A key outcome of the Health and Social Care Northern Ireland digital strategy is to provide our people with greater visibility and control over treatment and care journeys. For our population, digital holds the potential to provide greater visibility, control and personalisation of care which in turn can help them self-manage their health and wellbeing.
"Enabling access to safe and secure healthcare apps through the HSCNI Apps library is a key step forward in delivering this outcome.”
Apps to stay well this winter can be accessed at: Stay Safe this Winter - HSCNI Microsite
Apps to support Adult Health and Wellbeing can be accessed at: Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing - HSCNI Microsite
Lifeline, Northern Ireland’s crisis response helpline for people experiencing distress or despair, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. The number is 0808 808 8000.
