getUBetter Expands Access: Minimum Required User Age Lowered to 16

Bristol, UK – 22 September 2025 – getUBetter is pleased to announce that the minimum user age for our digital self-management support platform has officially been lowered from 18 to 16. Our customer organisations will now have the option to drop the minimum age requirement and enable younger patients aged 16 and 17 to access safe, evidence-based support for all common musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and women’s pelvic health – empowering earlier intervention, education, and prevention.

This update comes in direct response to feedback from our customers already offering their services to this younger cohort of patients (e.g. services offering physiotherapy to patients 16+). The change supports recommendations set out in NICE guidelines, ambitions of the Women’s Health Strategy, and the wider move toward early intervention, a whole life course approach, and person-centred care.

Why This Matters

Young people aged 16+ in the UK are assumed in law to have the capacity to make their own decisions about medical treatment. Therefore, they should be offered the choice to access appropriate self-management support

“We know that muscle, bone and joint problems can have a big impact on young people, especially at such an important stage of life. That’s why Sussex MSK Health is now making the getUBetter app available for 16–18 year olds,” said Jo Hall, Clinical Head of Innovation & Research at Sussex MSK Health. “This means teenagers can get easy access to trusted advice, simple self-management tools and guidance when they need it most.”

For healthcare professionals, this means being able to offer age-appropriate support earlier – helping improve lifelong outcomes and ensuring a smoother transition between youth and adult services.

“By offering this support early, we hope to help prevent ongoing problems, give young people the confidence to look after their health, and make sure local MSK services in Brighton & Hove and West Sussex are there for them now and in the future” – she added.

Clinically Approved Safety Netting

To keep the youngest patients safe, clinically approved safety netting questions are fully integrated into each organisation’s existing locally configured pathways. These ensure that 16–17-year-olds with red-flag symptoms, such as a potential pars fracture or slipped upper femoral epiphysis, are triaged and reviewed by the appropriate healthcare professional.

“Lowering the minimum age to 16 reflects our commitment to inclusive, preventive care,” said Jenny McCullough, Chief Clinical Officer at getUBetter. “We’re equipping younger people with the knowledge, skill, and confidence to self-manage their health, and support clinicians in delivering early, age-appropriate care for better long-term MSK and pelvic health outcomes.