Guide
How to choose a VR therapy platform for a hospital or care provider
By the DancingMind team · Updated
Short answer
Check six things: regulatory status (such as HSA registration or CE/UKCA marking), the evidence behind each claim and its level, whether clinicians prescribe and adjust programmes, a non-headset option such as tablets, data protection (PDPA or UK GDPR, with a data-processing agreement), and the full workflow: training, hygiene, group sessions and continuation at home.
The checklist
1. Regulatory status
Ask what the platform is registered or marked as, in which markets, and for what intended use. In Singapore that means the Health Sciences Authority (HSA); in the UK and EU, CE or UKCA marking. A platform that makes therapeutic claims without a registration it can show you is a risk to your organisation.
2. Evidence matched to claims
For every claim in the sales material, ask for the study behind it and its level: feasibility study, pilot, controlled study or randomised controlled trial; peer-reviewed paper or internal summary. Good suppliers label the difference themselves. Check the population too: a result in stroke patients doesn’t transfer automatically to dementia care.
3. Clinical control
Clinicians should prescribe programmes, set goals and see results. Look for difficulty that adapts to measured performance, and dashboards that show a whole caseload, not just one patient at a time.
4. Access for every patient
Some patients can’t or won’t wear a headset: people with severe visual or balance problems, some children, some people with dementia. A tablet version of the same programmes keeps them in the same protocol, with the same data captured.
5. Data protection
Ask what data is captured, where it is hosted, and who controls it. Expect a data-processing agreement with your organisation, compliance with Singapore’s PDPA or the UK GDPR, and a clear statement that personal data isn’t sold.
6. The whole workflow
Hardware is the easy part. Ask how staff are trained, how headsets are cleaned between patients, how devices are charged and stored, how group sessions run, and whether therapy can continue at home with remote monitoring after discharge.
For UK buyers
NHS organisations assess suppliers against the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC), and NICE’s evidence standards framework sets out the evidence expected for different types of digital health technology.
How DancingMind answers these questions
| Question | DancingMind |
|---|---|
| Regulatory status | Registered as a medical device with Singapore’s HSA; CE-marked (self-certified) |
| Evidence | An evidence library that labels peer-reviewed papers and study summaries separately |
| Clinical control | Care teams prescribe programmes; difficulty adapts to measured performance; clinician dashboards |
| Access | Standalone VR headsets and tablets running the same programmes |
| Data protection | Data-processing agreement with each deploying organisation; PDPA and UK GDPR; personal data is not sold |
| Workflow | Facilitator training, hygiene workflow, group sessions and remotely monitored home continuation |
The trust centre collects DancingMind’s regulatory and data documentation in one place.
Common questions
Does a VR therapy platform need to be a registered medical device?
If a platform is marketed for therapy or rehabilitation, ask for its medical-device registration or marking and the intended use it covers, for example registration with Singapore's Health Sciences Authority or CE/UKCA marking in the UK. Products for general wellbeing or entertainment may not need it, but they also can't make therapeutic claims.
What is the difference between VR therapy and VR entertainment for seniors?
Entertainment and reminiscence VR aims at enjoyment and wellbeing, which has real value. VR therapy is prescribed for a clinical goal, graded as the patient improves, measured session by session and overseen by clinicians.
What should a VR therapy pilot measure?
Agree the measures before starting: attendance and adherence, an outcome that matches the programme (for example a motor, cognitive or mood score), staff time per session, and feedback from patients and staff. A pilot that only reports enjoyment can't support a buying decision.
What do NHS organisations need from a supplier?
NHS buyers assess digital health tools against the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC), which covers clinical safety, data protection, technical security, interoperability and usability and accessibility. See our guide to how NHS organisations buy VR therapy.
Sources
- Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Medical devices. www.hsa.gov.sg/medical-devices
- Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC), Singapore. www.pdpc.gov.sg/
- NHS England, Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC). digital.nhs.uk/services/digital-technology-assessment-criteria-dtac
- NICE, Evidence standards framework for digital health technologies. www.nice.org.uk/corporate/ecd7
This guide is general information for care providers and families, not medical advice. Results from specific studies apply to specific populations; always seek the advice of a qualified health provider. How we match claims to evidence: responsible claims.