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What is Paddle?

Paddle has been designed especially for people who are receiving a course of psychological treatment within an NHS Talking Therapies Service. It has been designed for patients, by patients and clinicians, and is available by invitation only. You will need access to the internet in order to access the app.

What are the benefits of using Paddle?

Paddle has been designed to help you make the most of your therapy – and help you to stay well once you have finished treatment. Paddle will allow you to:

  • Store and organise any notes you may have made during your sessions (and related information) electronically and in one secure place (rather than having to keep lots of different pieces of paper together), so you have easy access to this information once treatment ends.
  • Review your progress and reflect upon what steps you may need to take to stay well in the longer term, by prompting you to complete the questionnaires you routinely filled in during treatment (once a month for six months following your discharge)

What can I do with Paddle?

  • Complete relevant questionnaires monthly (for six months) once treatment has ended, to see how your scores have changed over time
  • Upload and store relevant worksheets or booklets that you may have worked through in therapy
  • Add reflections/thoughts about key learning
  • Create libraries of resources to help you in your therapeutic journey in the short and longer term
  • Add information that you can refer to quickly in an emergency to help you stay well in the longer term

How do I access Paddle?

If you are eligible to use Paddle you will have been sent an invitation e-mail to download the app on your phone, as well as a PIN (Passcode) to use the first time you log in to Paddle. Once you have logged in for the first time on your mobile device, you can also use the web-based version of the app by visiting https://www.paddleapp.org.

How do I log in to Paddle the first time?

Use the link emailed to you to download Paddle, and use the 5-digit PIN (passcode) provided in this email the first time you log in to Paddle (you can change it to a more memorable PIN when prompted to do so).

What do I do if I forget my PIN?

Simply click on ‘Forgot my Pin’ on the homepage and we will get back to you with a reminder of your PIN. Use this PIN to log in and, if you are worried your PIN is no longer secure change it in the ‘Your Profile’ section.

What can I add to Paddle?

You can add text, word documents, PDFs, audio files, web addresses and contact information to three sections of the app: My Therapy, My Library and Staying Well. Please see the user guide at https://www.paddleapp.org for further information about how to do this.

What about my Questionnaires?

Whilst in treatment, you may be able to submit the questionnaires you are asked to complete before each treatment session using Paddle. Please check your invitation e-mail. If you are eligible to continue using Paddle after treatment has finished, the app will prompt you once a month over twelve months to complete the questionnaires that you have used during treatment to help you review your progress since leaving treatment. This data will also be stored within the Questionnaire section of your app and you can look at it any time you want.

Where is my data stored and who has access to it?

Your data is encrypted and stored securely on an Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust approved server. Only you have access to the data that you add to My Therapy, My Library and Staying Well sections of the app – this information is not shared with anyone else. For any questionnaires you complete using the Paddle app your answers are stored within the app and sent to your local NHS Talking Therapies service where you receive your treatment. Your scores will be added to your patient file so that services can review how patients are managing following the end of treatment. During treatment you will be working with your therapist on progress. After treatment, if scores indicate that you may be at risk of harming yourself or others,  your service may be in touch to check you are safe. However, your service will not be monitoring your scores 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; you should always seek help if you feel you need additional support. The Samaritans are available for support at any time on 116 123, or you can visit their website (https://www.samaritans.org/). You can call NHS 111 (the NHS non-emergency number) if you need medical help that is not an emergency or if you want the number for your local NHS 24/7 Mental Health support line. You can call your GP or local out-of-hours service or visit your local A&E department for further support. Please call 999 if you need immediate assistance in an emergency.

Can I access my documents offline?

You can access any documents that you have uploaded to the SOS section of Paddle at any time. This section of the app will also include additional sources of support. You need to be online to access all other sections of the app.

What if I lose my phone?

Access to the app itself and data within your app is protected via your PIN. If you lose your phone, you’ll still be able to access your Paddle data via the web-based version of the app and you can install Paddle on a new device if appropriate.

What if I no longer wish to use Paddle?

If you no longer wish to use Paddle you can simply uninstall the app from your phone. You will still be able to use the web-based version of Paddle and you will be able to download the app again in the future should you wish to use it again. You can also clear the data from your mobile device (for example if you change phones) – please see the user guide at https://www.paddleapp.org for further information on how to do this.

How can I reinstall the app if I change my mind about using Paddle in the future?

If you would like to reinstall the app after uninstalling it, simply visit the App store (if you have an iPhone) or Google Play store (if you have an Android phone) to download it again. You will only have access to the app if you have downloaded it previously via an email invitation.

Can I delete my Paddle account?

There is also the option to permanently delete your Paddle account. However, if you choose this option, all data stored within the app will be deleted from the web-based version of Paddle as well as the mobile app and will not be recoverable (please see the user guide at https://www.paddleapp.org for further information). Your outcome data (the questionnaires and any other questions which you complete via the app after being discharged from treatment) will be held by your local ‘talking therapies’ (IAPT) service on their secure data management system.

Can I contact my therapist or my NHS Talking Therapies service via the app?

There is no facility to contact your therapist or NHS Talking Therapies service via the app. If you wish to receive additional treatment you should get in touch with your local  NHS Talking Therapies service in the normal way. The Samaritans are available for support at any time on 116 123, or you can visit their website (https://www.samaritans.org/). You can call NHS 111 (the NHS non-emergency number) if you need medical help that is not an emergency or if you want the number for your local NHS 24/7 Mental Health support line. You can call your GP or local out-of-hours service or visit your local A&E department for further support. Please call 999 if you need immediate assistance in an emergency.

How do I find out more about Paddle?

You can find out more about Paddle by visiting https://www.paddleapp.org.