Rank and file police officers have been encouraged by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) to download the NHS COVID-19 app on their personal phones and use it while working.

This comes after the Federation approached the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) on behalf of members following confusion over guidelines from police chiefs advising officers not to download the app on work phones.

PFEW’s support for the app on personal mobile phones came after discussions with NHS app developers and colleagues from the National Cybercrime Security Centre.

National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales John Apter said: “The welfare of our members is absolutely paramount, and we view this app as a key part of the public campaign to contain the virus alongside Personal Protective Equipment, distancing and hand hygiene. For our colleagues and their families to be as safe as they can be, all these elements need to be used together.

“It is of course a personal decision if officers now want to download the app. However, we would encourage and urge our 120,000 members to do so for their own safety.”

For more details about the NHS app, visit https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/nhs-covid-19/