jHub support NHSX to securely share COVID-19 symptom data
jHub support NHSX to securely share COVID-19 symptom data
Strategic Command’s innovation hub, jHub, were recently commissioned to support NHSX to securely gather and share COVID-19 symptom data for project OASIS.
Image courtesy MoD / Crown Copyright 2020
During the UK’s response to COVID-19, a number of third-party apps and websites have been collecting COVID-19 symptom data in order to track the spread of the virus.
The apps or websites encourage users to submit their symptoms and basic demographic data.
What is Project OASIS
jHub has been brought in to provide assistance, coordination and coherence of the COVID-19 symptom tracker apps; including facilitating the secure transfer of relevant symptom and epidemiology data from the third party COVID-19 apps to NHSX.
How does it work?
jHub will receive and review the data, removing any information which may inadvertently identify users, ensuring that only symptom and demographic data is included. The data will then be checked for any security issues, with any incorrect or duplicate data also being erased.
jHub will then securely share the data with NHSX, (NHS England) which will then be used to inform their COVID-19 response by giving a clearer understanding as to which areas in the UK the virus is spreading and how quickly.
With the personal nature of the data being collected, Project OASIS will adhere to strict controls to ensure the data sharing meets data protection legislation.
Natasha Gedge, the Chief Operating Officer at jHub, who has been working on this project, said: "At jHub, we are always working to deliver for UK Defence and we are proud to be able to take our approach, and apply it in support of the NHS and the people of the UK."
Andrew Buckley, an innovation scout working at the medical section of jHub, jHubMed, also added his thoughts: "Symptom tracking really is a forecasting super power, tightly binding decisions at the highest level to the day-to-day experience of our valuable contributors. It’s fantastic and humbling to be at jHub, working closely with NHSX, to yolk the innovation and energy of our extraordinary app community and help beat Covid."
Lauren Harkins, Project OASIS, NHSX added: "Project OASIS is industry, academia, jHub and the NHS working together to understand the spreads and help control the COVID-19 virus. The App providers demonstrated their ingenuity from the outset of the pandemic, capturing vital information which the NHS will be using to make lifesaving decisions. We are thankful to everyone involved with this important project."
Symptom tracking apps working with the NHS and jHub
NHSX and jHub are only working with apps that have been assessed to the NHS Digital Health Technology Standard or against the Digital Assessment Questionnaire (DAQ).
At the time of writing NHSX and jHub have been working with the following App Providers, with more to be announced shortly:
- Agitate Ink C-19
- Connected Cognition - connectedcognition.org
- Corona-Help UK
- Evergreen Life
- LetsBeatCovid-19
- TrackTogether
- Your.MD
- C-19 COVID Symptom Study provided by the BREATHE Health Data Research Hub for Respiratory Health, in partnership with its trusted research environment, the SAIL Databank
