Guidance

[Withdrawn] NHS COVID-19 app: terms of use

Updated 28 March 2023

This guidance was withdrawn on 27 April 2023

The NHS COVID-19 app closed down on 27 April 2023, so this content is out of date.

The app was managed by the UK Health Security Agency, which is an executive agency sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care. From 27 April 2023, the app is no longer available and is no longer collecting data or providing a service to app users. This document broadly reflects the service provided by the app during its later stages.

Your data and privacy now the app has closed down

The data collected by the app, which cannot identify app users, will be held in line with the retention period set out in the Privacy Notice for the NHS COVID-19 app.

Find out why the app has closed down and where to find the latest guidance.

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Tynnwyd y cyhoeddiad hwn yn ôl ar 27 Ebrill 2023

Caeodd ap COVID-19 y GIG ar 27 Ebrill 2023 felly nid yw’r cynnwys hwn bellach yn gyfredol.

Rheolwyd yr ap gan Asiantaeth Diogelwch Iechyd y DU, sy’n asiantaeth weithredol a noddir gan yr Adran Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol.  O 27 Ebrill 2023, nid yw yr ap ar gael bellach ac nid yw yn casglu data na yn darparu gwasanaeth i ddefnyddwyr apiau bellach. Mae’r ddogfen hon yn adlewyrchu’n fras y gwasanaeth a ddarperir gan yr ap yn ystod ei gamau diweddarach.

Eich data a’ch preifatrwydd nawr mae’r ap wedi cau

Bydd y data a gesglir gan yr ap, na all adnabod defnyddwyr yr ap, yn cael ei gadw yn unol â’r cyfnod cadw a nodir yn yr Hysbysiad Preifatrwydd ar gyfer ap COVID-19 y GIG.

Darganfyddwch pam mae’r ap wedi cau a ble i ddod o hyd i’r canllawiau diweddaraf.

Applies to England and Wales

By viewing and using this service, you agree to these terms of use.

Agreement to terms

Welcome to the NHS COVID-19 app (the ‘app’) and the supporting website (together, the ‘service’), an iOS and Android application and website. The UK Health Security Agency (‘UKHSA’, ‘we’, ‘our’) is the legal manufacturer. We are an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.

We are now working with partner health services who provide digital contact tracing apps in Gibraltar and Jersey. We all use the Apple and Google functionality to support digital contact tracing.

These terms apply to the entire contents of the service, to any web feeds produced by the service, any interactions you may have with the service, and to any feedback or submissions provided back to the service. By downloading, viewing and/or using the service, you will be deemed to agree to these terms of use.

Purpose

The app is designed to help the people of England and Wales (including visitors) stop the spread of COVID-19. It does this by enabling people to inform others who they have been in close contact with that they have tested positive.

Any notifications provided through the app are advisory only. If you have concerns about the app’s advice you are advised to contact NHS 111, NHS 119 or an appropriate healthcare professional who will be able to provide you with the appropriate information.

Other guidance about COVID-19 is available from the NHS in England and in Wales.

Users will be supporting the public health response to the pandemic, as well as ensuring the app is working as expected, by sharing information (on an anonymous basis) with UKHSA.

By using the app and sharing this information, you will be making an important contribution to helping your community stay healthy and save lives.

The app is UKCA marked as a Class I medical device in the United Kingdom and developed in compliance with The Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (SI 2002 No 618, as amended).

The service is only for the purposes as outlined in the privacy notice.

Your use of this app is governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Working with partner health services

If you test positive for COVID-19 and give permission to alert other app users, we will work with partner health services to ensure all relevant app users receive an alert.

By using the Apple and Google functionality, we ensure that your identity is anonymous to other app users, partner health services, and the government.

Our partners are:

• Gibraltar
• Jersey

Functions of the app

The app has the following functions:

• an exposure alert, which lets you know if you have been near another app user who subsequently tests positive for COVID-19
• the ability to enter a private or NHS COVID-19 positive test result into the app
• the option to share information (anonymously) about any positive COVID-19 diagnosis you might receive, allowing other app users to know they may have been near another app user who subsequently tests positive for COVID-19
• timely information about COVID-19 advice and risk in your local area
• signposting to services and information for your area – these services and information are outside of the scope of the terms of use for the NHS COVID-19 app and are subject to their own terms and conditions
• a symptom check feature to see if you may have COVID-19, which is reviewed and updated in line with the latest public health advice
• a countdown to help you protect others by either staying at home or being careful who you are in contact with
• anonymised information sharing to help manage and respond to the public health emergency
• the ability to set reminders for certain functions and to provide additional reminders in the app, for key functions such as contact tracing

Please note: You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide, and the advice provided by the app will be updated in line with your declaration.

The app should not affect the normal operation of your phone.

Advice

Please use the pause functionality to pause contact tracing if:

• you are fully protected from customers and colleagues by a physical barrier, such as a perspex screen
• you are a healthcare worker working in a healthcare building, including a hospital or GP surgery
• you are a worker in health and social care and are wearing medical grade PPE such as a surgical mask
• your phone is placed in a locker or equivalent

Remember to resume (unpause) contact tracing when these no longer apply. The app allows you to set a timer and reminder. The app will provide an additional reminder on the following day.

Warning

This app may cause interference with Bluetooth-enabled medical devices.

Speak to a healthcare professional or seek advice from your device manufacturer if you are concerned about the risk of interference with Bluetooth-enabled medical devices.

Details of the current version of the app can be found in the ’About this app‘ section within the app.

Privacy

Please refer to the privacy notice for further information about how the app processes personal data and respects your rights of privacy and confidentiality under data protection laws.

Disclaimer

We disclaim and exclude all liability to the maximum extent allowed by law for any claim, loss, demand or damages of any kind whatsoever (including for our negligence) arising out of or in connection with the use of either the service or the information, content or materials included on the service or on any website the service links to. Information held by the service is as provided by the user, and we take no responsibility for its accuracy.

Continuity of service

We make no warranty or representation, express or implied, as to continuity of service and to the fullest extent permitted by law, any implied warranties in respect of the service are hereby excluded. We reserve the right to suspend, terminate or otherwise alter access to some or all of the services at any time and without notice.

Revisions to these terms of use

We may revise these terms of use at any time and your continued use of the service will be deemed acceptance of such revised terms of use.

The venue check-in, venue alerts functions, links to claim Isolation Support Payments and ability to book tests from the app are no longer available.

Any such revisions take effect when this page is published.

Security

If you discover a potential security vulnerability or suspect a security incident related to this service, please follow the vulnerability disclosure programme for the NHS COVID-19 app and infrastructure. You can read our vulnerability disclosure policy on HackerOne.

You can report a vulnerability in the app, backend infrastructure or on the website via HackerOne.

The service has been and will continue to be subjected to security audits.