Digital channels for citizen guidance and triage

We continued to support HMG’s policy to facilitate expansion of permitted international travel by allowing citizens to demonstrate their COVID-19 ‘status’

We delivered an initial set of digital capabilities on 15 May that allow people in England to demonstrate their COVID-19 vaccination status through the NHS App. The NHS App provides a simple and secure way for people to access a range of NHS Services on their smartphone or tablet. 

We have increased capacity of the infrastructure supporting the NHS App and for processing identification checks through NHS Login, which provides secure access to digital health and care services. As of 16 May, people in England had viewed their COVID-19 vaccination status 835,000 times using the NHS App and NHS Login had recorded the largest number of new requests ever received in a single day. Over 4 million people have now registered to use the NHS App. 

We have delivered the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) required to support NHS England’s programme for providing therapeutics through primary care to people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

NHS Pathways updated on 16 April to include decision support for first likely therapy and 111 Online enhanced on 29 April to align with changes to NHS Pathways. NHS BSA delivered new text message capability on 6 May to inform eligible people about potential therapies following a positive test. These capabilities have been delivered but will not be ‘turned on’ until the first therapy is approved for treating COVID-19 outside of hospital.

This preparatory work has been completed to enable more rapid mobilisation of delivery channels as soon as novel therapies are approved for treatment of COVID-19 patients in primary care. Additional work may be required once the first therapy is approved.