Chamber and committees

Test and Protect is being delivered by Public Health Scotland and NHS Boards and all Boards had an enhanced contact tracing approach in place by 28 May. Scotland’s approach uses established, tried and tested contact tracing techniques, delivered by health protection professionals in local teams, with support arrangements at national level. Local Health Protection Teams and their respective health boards have established processes in place to address accessibility issues which they can draw on. Processes are also being put in place for the national contact tracing service which is due to be stood up later this month.

Technology will support contact tracing, but not replace contact tracing teams who have knowledge of their localities. For these localised interventions, public health teams will be able to use simple digital tools to facilitate phone interviews and enter contact tracing data. People who can access public facing digital tools will be able to do so, to ensure phone interview time is spent on those who need it most.

We are co-designing our digital tools with the Scottish public and the Digital Health and Care Institute is working with Scottish Universities to undertake qualitative interviews, focused surveys and seek feedback from citizens. This will be used to inform and refine our public-facing digital tools. We will seek to ensure the digital service is as accessible as possible by seeking input from representatives from minority ethnic communities, and recognised hard-to-reach groups.

We recognise that not everyone in Scotland will want, or be able, to use digital technology in this way, and so we are working to ensure that telephone support will be available for everyone who needs it.

Guidance for individuals and employers was published on 26 May on the Scottish Government website, for those asked to self-isolate because they have tested positive for COVID-19, or because have been in close contact with a positive case.

A public awareness campaign has started and, during the week commencing 22 June, information will be sent to every household in Scotland which sets out how Test and Protect will work. This Test and Protect mailer is being created in multiple languages and formats, including easy read, audio, British Sign Language and large print format, and will be available on the Scottish Government website from the 22 June.

Our use of contact tracing teams, involvement of the public in the development of digital tools and the option to engage with the programme via telephone will help ensure the Test and Protect Programme is accessible to blind and partially-sighted people.