NHS Contact Tracing App

[Mowsehowse]

Yes, but what's in a name? Who is responsible for developing it and, presumably, making sure it works?

The app was developed by app developers for their client, the NHS. It also went through Beta-testing prior to launch to the wider public.

I believe the contract was given to Baroness Dido Harding whose husband is Conservative MP John Penrose.
She was CEO of TalkTalk, during the data theft scandal, and has strong links with the Cheltenham Races, as does the Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
The government has given around 12 billion pounds to her company Serco, to develop the app, despite the NHS has a tried and tested system already running.

[Viktoria]

Well that says it all!
Viktoria.

[Michael J]

According to the Guardian, not quite £12 billion:

The £108m contract was directly awarded to Serco

Michael.

Added: sorry, link does not work so deleted.

[Mowsehowse]

Fair enough.... we shouldn't believe everything we read, but £108m is still rather a considerable amount of money to replicate something we already had up and running.

[cuffie81]

I can't find any reference to Serco's contract covering the development of the app. Their contract appears to just be in regard to the Test and Trace program.

The main company responsible for developing the app appears to be Zühlke Engineering, a Swiss company, which are named in various articles, including on the NHS and Government websites. The Independent and LBC articles refer to Zühlke having been awarded contracts worth £5m for the work. A Telegraph article refers to Zühlke having been awarded a contract worth £3.8m. No doubt there's additional costs involved though. In June Tory peer Lord Bethell stated the app had cost £11.8m to date.


The Guardian
Serco wins Covid-19 test-and-trace contract despite £1m fine
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/06/serco-wins-covid-19-test-and-trace-contract-despite-1m-fine

Wikipedia
NHS Test and Trace
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHS_Test_and_Trace

NHS
Who has been involved in creating the app? · COVID-19 app support
https://faq.covid19.nhs.uk/article/KA-01106/en-us?parentid=CAT-01040&rootid=CAT-01021

GOV.UK
NHS COVID-19 app launches across England and Wales
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-covid-19-app-launches-across-england-and-wales

The Telegraph
NHS considers U-turn on contact tracing app with switch to Apple and Google model
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/06/nhs-explores-feasibility-moving-contact-tracing-app-apple-google/

The Telegraph
The next big challenge for the NHS Covid-19 app: How to convince people to use it
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/09/25/next-big-challenge-nhs-covid-19-app-convince-people-actually/

LBC
NHS Covid-19 app launches in England and Wales
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/nhs-covid-19-app-finally-launches-england-wales/

The Independent
NHS coronavirus app: Future updates will warn users if they are exposing themselves to too many people, developers say
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/nhs-coronavirus-app-covid-19-contact-tracing-updates-b570420.html

WIRED UK
Everything you need to know about the new NHS contact tracing app
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/nhs-covid-19-tracking-app-contact-tracing

Tory peer reveals NHS contact-tracing app has cost £11.8m to date
https://www.digitalhealth.net/2020/06/nhs-contact-tracing-app-cost/


EDIT: Added link to article detailing cost of app at £11.8m, in June.

[cuffie81]

Fair enough.... we shouldn't believe everything we read, but £108m is still rather a considerable amount of money to replicate something we already had up and running.

The app isn't intended to replicate anything, it's intended to be part of the whole tracing program, and to help reduce spreading of the virus. Whether it actually works is yet to be seen but given the relatively small costs (?) involved it's seems worth a try, to me at least.

NHS
What are the benefits of the NHS COVID-19 app?
Modelling by academics at Oxford University’s Big Data Institute shows that the NHS COVID-19 app has the potential to save thousands of lives. Almost half of all coronavirus (COVID-19) cases result from people spreading the virus in the very early phase of infection, before symptoms appear. A mobile app can help to quickly alert people who have been exposed. For every 1 to 2 people who download the app, an infection could be prevented.

https://faq.covid19.nhs.uk/article/KA-01102/en-us?parentid=CAT-01039&rootid=CAT-01021

[Marmaduke 123]

Cuffie81, thanks for your contributions giving real factual information. Much appreciated.

[jillruss]

Yes, but what's in a name? Who is responsible for developing it and, presumably, making sure it works?

The app was developed by app developers for their client, the NHS. It also went through Beta-testing prior to launch to the wider public.

I believe the contract was given to Baroness Dido Harding whose husband is Conservative MP John Penrose.
She was CEO of TalkTalk, during the data theft scandal, and has strong links with the Cheltenham Races, as does the Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
The government has given around 12 billion pounds to her company Serco, to develop the app, despite the NHS has a tried and tested system already running.

This is entirely as I suspected. It makes me so angry, I could spit!! It also amazes me that the British people just sit back and allow all this to happen - Dido and her pals must be laughing all the way to the bank (which she probably has shares in).

Interesting comment about Hancock - what 'links' does he have to Cheltenham races?

[Kiltpin]

the NHS has a tried and tested system already running.

I thought that it had failed, that was why they needed a new one. 
Regards 

Chas