York and Scarborough pilots digital physiotherapy app

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is piloting a digital physiotherapy app which allows patients to access musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy, results and exercise programmes.

The Ascenti Reach app is expected to improve efficiency for physiotherapists by reducing admin and note-taking, streamlining processes and providing insight into patients’ progress.

A six-month pilot of the app from Ascenti Group began on 9 February and will end on 10 August.

Karl Barbaro, advanced practice physiotherapist at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, said: “We’re initially launching a six-month pilot with Ascenti Reach to help us understand how digital physiotherapy can improve access to care, support recovery, and enhance the overall patient experience.

“We’re excited to get started and see the results, as this partnership could help thousands of patients across the region, especially those living in rural areas with limited access to clinics.”

Patients can access more than 50,000 tailored exercise programmes and 5,000 educational articles within the app to support personalised rehabilitation.

Ian Thistlewood, chief executive of the Ascenti Group, said: “NHS York and Scarborough is an ambitious, forward‑thinking trust, and we’re delighted they have chosen Ascenti Reach as their digital partner.

“Getting patients into a rehabilitation pathway quickly is proven to improve outcomes, and Ascenti Reach is designed to make that possible.

“This transformative app has already helped hundreds of thousands of private patients across the UK gain faster access to care, and we’re ready to support thousands more across York and Scarborough.”

The partnership with York and Scarborough is intended to support the NHS 10 year health plan by making care more accessible, modernising clinical pathways, and using digital technology to ease pressure on overstretched teams.

Ascenti Physio is the largest division within the Ascenti Group, delivering over 600,000 appointments each year through a nationwide clinical workforce of more than 300 directly employed physiotherapists.

Anthony Howells, product owner for Ascenti Reach, added: “We built Ascenti Reach entirely in-house, and we are continuously developing and improving it to deliver the best possible patient experience.”

Meanwhile, AI-powered physiotherapy clinic Flok Health announced in February that it has expanded across 11 NHS regions to provide patients with same-day appointments for back pain via a smartphone app.

In Flok Health’s first large-scale pilot in England last year, the clinic more than halved waiting lists for back pain and reduced waiting times for all musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions by 44% in less than 10