Police told not to download Covid-19 contact-tracing app on their work phones
The National Police Chiefs Council has confirmed officers are being told not to install the NHS Covid-19 app on their work smartphones.Some officers have also been told they may not need to obey self-isolate alerts generated by the app when downloaded to their personal phones.The BBC contacted the North-West of England force after a source said the advice had been given because of "security reasons".
The source also said officers had been told not to carry their personal phones while on duty if they had activated the app."The health and wellbeing of our officers, staff and the public remains our priority," a Lancashire Constabulary spokeswoman subsequently told the BBC. "Members of staff, like all members of the public, are personally able to download the Track and Trace application should they choose to do so. Guidance provided to staff within the workplace remains in line with the national NPCC position."
The NPCC confirmed the work-phones policy was common to all forces, but said it was carrying out an urgent review of the matter. "We have been taking time to review the specifications of the app to assess the implications for policing," added a spokesman.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NHS Covid-19 app can now log all positive test results after flaw fixedProblem had meant tens of thousands of results from tests at hospitals and Public Health England labs could not be processed
Read more »
Private hospitals boom as patients fears the NHS has been overwhelmed by Covid-19HCA Healthcare, Ramsay Health Care and Spire Healthcare have all seen an increase in those willing to take a 'self pay' approach
Read more »
NHS 111 calls 'rise 200% as staff unsure they're giving correct Covid advice'CALLS to the NHS 111 phone line soared by 200 per cent this week, a whistle-blower revealed. The call handler said staff were so busy they had to hang up after ten minutes as hundreds of parents ra…
Read more »
Did the NHS Covid helpline fail hundreds of families?Hundreds of people believe the 111 helpline failed their relatives. Now the Guardian’s David Conn reports that they are demanding a full inquiry into the service
Read more »
Police to visit homes of self-isolating in Covid crackdown with £10,000 finesPOLICE will visit the homes of people who are self-isolating in a coronavirus crackdown as £10,000 fines come into force for rule breakers. Those ordered to quarantine under new coronavirus rules b…
Read more »
Coronavirus live - latest UK news updates: NHS COVID-19 app downloaded by 10 million people so far'I'm very worried that we're going to go back to something like the 1980s where large numbers of young people had nothing to do.' Former PM Gordon Brown says more needs to be done to avoid a 'lost generation' of young people after COVID19.
Read more »