How We Ensure Quality

How we approach quality assurance

We use a planned and systematic approach to create apps and comply with accepted quality requirements.

This involves:

• Evidence standards: We create apps in line with the NICE Evidence Standards Framework for Digital Health Technologies.
• Content creation: We use editorial guidelines to create and maintain app content. Learn more about how we create app content.
• App content: To sign off app content, we use development checklists based on the Patient Information Forum 'PIF Tick'.
• App interface: We use the Apple Human Interface Guidelines and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 for guidance.
• Safety and security: Our apps do not collect any personally identifiable data and comply with current safety and security guidelines. We create Safety Cases and Hazard Logs as appropriate.

External assessment

The apps we develop, and we as a company, are subject to independent external review.

• PIF Tick certification: We're certified by the Patient Information Forum 'PIF Tick', the UK's quality mark for health information. This means our work and our processes are regularly assessed and audited.
• ORCHA: Our apps are reviewed by the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications (ORCHA) and consistently score well above ORCHA's quality benchmark.
• NHS Digital: Two of our apps have been assessed by NHS Digital and are listed on the NHS Apps Library (the Student Health App and distrACT).
• DTAC: Working together with ORCHA, we're currently getting our apps ready to comply with the NHS Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC).

How we plan quality

We create quality assurance plans for each of our app projects, stating the standards we adhere to and plans for quality control.

Quality planning includes:

• Activities: Regular activities as part of quality control
• Responsibilities: Details of who will perform quality control activities
• Tools and techniques: Details of how we engage in quality control

How we control app quality

We carry out regular internal activities to control the quality of our health information and self-help apps. These include:

• Bugs: Checking for software bugs that might be present or have developed
• External links: Checking for broken links
• Updates: Ensure that our apps are compatible with iOS and Android software updates
• Hardware: Ensure that our apps run smoothly on the most commonly used iPhones and Android Phones
• Testing: All our apps undergo regular inspection and testing by our project teams and external reviewers

How we improve quality

We formally invite and analyse feedback on our products, services and processes to identify areas for improvement.

We also ask users, experts and our partner organisations for feedback on app content, both during app development and on an ongoing basis after launch.

• Feedback: Our apps carry a 'feedback' button leading to a page with information on how to submit feedback, comments and suggestions for improvement.
• Reviews: We act on the results of app reviews by users and independent reviewers, such as ORCHA.
• Ratings: We review and consider ratings provided by app users on the app stores.

Find out more

To find out more, provide feedback or ask questions, please get in touch.

Page last reviewed and updated on 15 October 2021

Next review due on 12 August 2022