What apps does the public want?

The UK's Department of Health's 'Maps and Apps' competition ran for six weeks until October 2011 to crowd-source the best ideas for mobile health applications and received 9,198 entries, votes or comments.

The most popular app ideas were to:

• help manage long-term conditions like diabetes
• help people deal with post-traumatic stress
• track and monitor things like blood pressure
• help people find NHS services on a map
• get practical information about keeping fit and eating healthily

The two most popular existing apps were Moodscope, which measures a user's state of mind and alerts friends or carers if they feel low, and HealthUnlocked, which provides a social network for patients.

The top new app ideas included Patients Know Best, which would give patients access to all their health records and let them control who gets access to them.

• More information on the Department of Health's Maps and Apps competition

Digital inspiration for pharma on mobile, social media, strategy, best practice, regulations and more