Capita is supporting the UK’s first trial of StaySafe Diary, a privacy-first contact tracing app based on a design which has proved successful in New Zealand.

StaySafe Diary lets customers, suppliers and staff check in and out of businesses - such as shops, pubs and restaurants - by scanning a QR code whenever they visit the premises, but without ever having to share their personal details.

Should there be any risk that they have been exposed to COVID-19 during a particular visit, their phone will receive an alert. They will then be asked to volunteer their information to NHS Test and Trace.

This will help businesses fulfil their obligations to the UK’s Test and Trace initiative, while also complying with General Data Protection Regulations.

The QR code removes the need for someone signing in physically at a business premises, speeding up the process and reducing the risk to customers and staff of possible infection. As it doesn’t rely on personal information, the app also reduces the risk of data being lost or inaccurately recorded by businesses.

Users do not share any personal data with StaySafe Diary and their check-in data, unlike other contact tracing apps, only comprises the QR code reference along with the date and time of their visit. This data remains entirely on their mobile phones - unlike the initial incarnation of the NHS' official contact tracing app.

The trial aims to have signed up 1,000 businesses by the end of August and is available on Apple’s App Store or Google Play.

StaySafe Diary is based on New Zealand digital agency Paperkite’s original Rippl app which was developed in response to the pandemic and designed to guarantee user privacy. It is currently being used by over 1,900 businesses and tens of thousands of Kiwis.

Ismail Amla, chief growth officer at Capita, said: “The app has been developed using a privacy-first approach, ensuring that a user’s personal information remains private."

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