From Friday 18 September, it will be law for certain businesses to have a system to collect NHS Test and Trace data, which must be kept for 21 days.
These businesses are:
- hospitality, including pubs, bars, restaurants and cafés
- tourism and leisure, including hotels, museums, cinemas, zoos and theme parks
- close contact services, including hairdressers, barbershops and tailors
- facilities provided by local authorities, including town halls and civic centres for events, community centres, libraries and children’s centres
- places of worship, including use for events and other community activities
The government is launching an NHS Covid-19 Test & Trace app for the public to download and use from 24 September. Businesses across England and Wales like pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas are being urged to ensure they have NHS QR code posters visible on entry so customers who have downloaded the new NHS COVID-19 app can use their smartphones to easily check-in.
Those who have the app can simply scan the code and there is no need for the business themselves to record the data. However if the customer has not downloaded the app, their details must still be recorded.
Information to collect:
The following information should be collected by the venue, where possible:
- staff
- the names of staff who work at the premises
- a contact phone number for each member of staff
- the dates and times that staff are at work
- customers and visitors
- the name of the customer or visitor. If there is more than one person, then you can record the name of the ‘lead member’ of the group and the number of people in the group
- a contact phone number for each customer or visitor, or for the lead member of a group of people
- date of visit, arrival time and, where possible, departure time
- if a customer will interact with only one member of staff (e.g. a hairdresser), the name of the assigned staff member should be recorded alongside the name of the customer
This data saves information that can be used to help contact tracers in the event of an outbreak.
Businesses will have a clear duty to support NHS Test and Trace, spot checks will happen and failure to comply could result in prosecution.
For more information, please check the gov.uk website
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19
