Use of the NHS COVID-19 App in Education and Childcare Settings

This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Associate Director and Education & Inclusion, Johnny Kyriacou on behalf of Slough Borough Council's Senior H&S Adviser Vicki Swift. This is for the attention of all schools.

There have been updates to the government guidance produced in relation to the use of the NHS COVID-19 app in education and childcare settings. Please see the overview of the government updates below.

Guidance Documents in Relation to Wraparound Care and Early Years Providers

• Actions for early years and childcare providers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

• Guidance for providers of holiday, breakfast and after-school clubs or other out-of-school settings for children during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

The Necessary and Required Actions have been Reclassified

• Desired action: consider communicating with students and parents about the use of the app

• Necessary action: communicate with staff about use of the app

• Necessary action: consider how the app relates to your setting’s mobile phone policies

• Required action: leaders must display a QR code for any activities or provision in their setting where members of the public take part or make use of premises for hospitality, leisure or close contact services

• Necessary action: leaders should understand how the app’s ‘Trace’ feature relates to their setting’s existing process for being informed about contacts of positive cases

• Necessary action: leaders should understand how the app relates to their setting’s process for managing a positive case and/or an outbreak

• Necessary action: leaders and staff should familiarize themselves with the features of the app

The Guidance has Added Further Information about QR Code Display

Where education, training or childcare is provided in a community centre, education and childcare settings will need to consider whether they are required by relevant legislation to display a QR code, as detailed in the current guidance for maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace. NHS QR posters could also be considered in the following circumstances:

• Education settings are not expected to create NHS QR code posters for the provision of childcare, education or training in their settings as part of their normal day to day operations
• If a setting hosts an event with external guests on the premises, depending on the registration arrangements in place, NHS QR check-in would be for people visiting rather than students and staff in these contexts
• If the premises are let out during evenings, weekends or holidays to external providers
• If a setting thinks that use of NHS QR codes and the app is more effective than their existing process for recording external visitors, and providing those visitors’ details to NHS Test and Trace in the event of a positive case at the setting

Click here for the full guidance.

Please note that the app is intended for anyone aged 16 and over if they choose to do so.

As always if you have any queries please contact the health and safety team on _healthandsafety@slough.gov.uk or call 01753 875046 or 01753875742.