As the UK prepares for a national rollout of a full trace and test programme, the Isle of Wight continues to provide invaluable feedback to inform the use of a contact tracing app as part of this.
With over 53,000 Islanders having now downloaded NHSX’s app – equating to more than two-thirds of the approximately 80,000 residents with a compatible smartphone – the Government is able to see how it works in practise within a defined community.
In the past few days, the Island’s MP Bob Seely has spoken with a range of public sector professionals – who continue to analyse the operation of the app (and the wider trace and test scheme) – as well as Government Ministers.
Bob said:
“The app remains an important part of the trace and test programme which the UK is putting in place. It is not, and never has been, a stand-alone project, but is part of the wider three-pronged approach: the app, wider tracing and a comprehensive test programme. NHSX – the digital arm of the NHS – and Public Health England continue to work to ensure an integrated scheme.
“The app being used on the Island at the moment is effectively a beta version. It is and remains fully usable, and (a) people are still able to report symptoms through it and (b) notifications of being in contact with someone who has developed symptoms are being received, with instructions on what to do next.
“There will be upgrades to it and when we know more, I will pass that information on, but nothing specifically has changed. The app continues to be used and tested prior to national roll-out.
“I would ask Islanders to download (or continue with) the app. It helps to keep us safe, to reduce the Covid-19 infections on the Island and assist the rest of the country. Every day, health and digital professionals are learning more about how the app works in practise and identifying how it can be improved.
Article continues below this advertisement
Mr Seely adds:
“I also welcome the fact that NHSX have enabled independent evaluation of the app to take place. The source code was published several days ago, thereby allowing third parties to scrutinise it and detect any vulnerabilities. The issues being identified are very low risk and are now being addressed as the app continues to improve ahead of fuller integration with the wider trace and test programme.
“We still have at least another week of the Island continuing to undertake this important role for the rest of the UK, so I would encourage all those using the app to provide feedback online and / or through my office. Working together, we can help make ourselves – and our country – safer.
“I would also like to thank others for their efforts in raising queries and disseminating information. The local media continues to ask a range of questions, and the local Labour Party has done the same, with answers published online as recently as yesterday. This type of constructive scrutiny – from the media, some other political representatives and technical experts who are “stress testing” the app – is important in a democratic society. The Isle of Wight Council and I are also adding to that feedback, as do Islanders by responding to the survey or giving feedback over the phone.
Speaking about reported delays to test results for Islanders, Bob says:
“Finally, I would like to address queries which have been raised about the turnaround time for test results. I have been advised that some temporary operational issues in the laboratory network had a short-term impact on both the turnaround time for samples and the proportion that returned a ‘void’ result. These have now been resolved.
“At the moment, 93% of test results are now being delivered within 48 hours of samples being taken.
“Furthermore, I am advised that currently only 3.5% of samples are voided (for example if the swab did not collect enough material), and those affected are being asked to book a re-test. These are issues which are being resolved as the system continues to improve. If you are booking a test, please read the instructions carefully as even items such as not putting the label on in the correct way can slow down test turnaround. Glitches are being ironed out, but clearly this has been one.
“What is clear is this: the NHS Covid-19 app – along with the wider test and trace scheme – are important for the Island and our country. We are making good progress.
“It is important that we continue to communicate as this progress is secured, whilst acknowledging that there will always be room for improvement and refinement in this rapidly evolving programme. I once thank fellow Islanders for this vital role that they are undertaking for everyone in our community, and the rest of the country.”
What is clear is Bob is dis-seminate-ing clap trap from the Intergity Initiative and Institute for Statecraft. Do your own sourcing. I’d not be surprised if he’s following orders from the 77th brigade too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_for_Statecraft
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/77th_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Rights_1689
As a matter of fact, it is vital for a functioning democracy that our unalienable rights are unwaveringly acknowledged.The foundation of our lands depends on this.
peace x
only following orders is not nor ever was an acceptable excuse in the eyes of the supreme creator.
Ah, they’ve achieved their minimum percentage population take up figures required, by excluding those with a noddy phone.
The National news and Tory MPs have a different view, many questions surround this APP. and the tracking/tracing set up, so who is correct and why is this country so misguided!
I was very keen when this project was first announced and also pleased that it was to be tested here but I don’t understand why ‘Bob and Dave’ keep popping up so pleased with themselves. The only ‘valuable feedback’ provided by the IW test so far is that the App. is so badly flawed that it isn’t even to be included in the UK’s ‘world beating’ trace and track system which is supposed to go live in 10 days time.
Potentially a good idea but of very limited practical use, the only good thing to come out of it for the Island is that one of the reasons being claimed for it’s failure is that the infection rate here is too low to give it a real test but that is absolutely no consolation for those who have still lost people.
By all means keep quietly testing it but it is no longer news and it’s surely time for political opportunists to publicly acknowledge it’s obvious failings instead of relentlessly trying to ‘big-it’ up.
Bob Seely is delusional. Soon the EOD will have the definition of being a “seely” as someone who is out of touch with the reality around them, someone who believes that their reality supersedes all else or a situation not beholding with the laws of reality.
Well firstly the contact tracers, the people who analyse the data, a lot have had their emails hacked…
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/20/serco-apologises-contact-tracers-email-breach-latest-blow-test/
Now do you trust Serco to keep YOUR details safe? Seeing as Serco is an outsourcing agent, I think data will be sold to a lot of not very nice
businesses.
Just imagine that you might need to make a health insurance claim in the future, and you are told “Sorry you’re not covered as you had Covid-19”
So what is Bob on about, all I can say is Mr Seely must have very long arms, all it seems is that he is constantly patting himself on the back.
How can they even use this trial when here on the island we are now being inundated with visitors? They are here and they are everywhere despite the mp and council leader denying it. The ferries question nobody and why are we on the island bothering when it’s obvious the leaders don’t give a damn about us.
The numbers do not add up, originally it was reported there are approximately 90,000 compatible smartphone users on the IoW and 77,000 downloads. The downloads are not just on the IoW but in fact all over the UK, plus the influx of people coming to the Island now who are not in the above numbers, please please tell me how you can obtain any data when there is nowhere near the local download information you are claiming??