Difficulty accessing public sector mental health support is driving growth in the mental health and wellbeing app market, according to protection and health advisers – but there are conerns about their quality.
Research by Carr Consulting & Communications found 57% of intermediaries thought such apps represented effective self-management tools and genuinely added value to customers.
However, 23% thought that mental health apps – whether bundled with insurance or not – were ‘a sticking plaster solution’ with 11% saying they ‘over-promise and underperform’.
When asked about apps embedded within insurance products, most thought they added genuine value to customers but 25% said they were ‘a marketing sales tool’ while 16% thought they represented ‘an important part of clinical care pathways’.
At last month’s Laing Buisson Private Healthcare Summit, Howden head of benefits strategy Steve Herbert warned health and wellbeing apps were not a universal solution – claiming there were some “good apps, some bad apps and some really crap apps out there”.
He added that employers recommending poor apps to staff could face legal problems.
Part of holistic approach
The consultancy interviewed 25 protection advice firms for the research, representing over 500 advisers including LifeSearch, Cura, Mortgage Advice Bureau, Assured Futures, Cavendish Ware, Regency Health.
Jennie Doyle, head of marketing at Health Shield, said: “Being positive on the whole, these results say to us that providers are doing a good job of assessing apps for quality, in terms of ensuring they are thoroughly evidence-based, before offering them via our products and services.
“In our opinion, it’s important to consider any mental health and wellbeing apps as part of holistic care pathway support that caters for the whole person – physical, psychological, financial and social – as opposed to fix-all solutions.
“And that’s where providers can really help out too, with regards to integrated thinking and parity of support services.”
Emma Walker, chief marketing officer at LifeSearch, said: “LifeSearch data gathered throughout the pandemic shows that large sections of the UK now use mental health apps for relief and support.
“Stress and mental health is a hugely complex area and some people remain sceptical, but this research shows many advisers across the industry are supportive of wellbeing apps and services.”