Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to make the contract tracing covid-19 app accessible and user-friendly for deaf and hard of hearing people.

The National Health Service COVID-19 app is designed and built to conform with Web Content Accessibility 2.1 Level AA, an internationally recognised standard that assures accessibility for all people with differing or specific access needs. The app was tested by disabled people, including people with hearing loss, and their insights helped inform the design of the app and make it as accessible and user-friendly as possible.

Language has been kept as simple as possible to help all users and key bits of supporting information and guidance are available in a variety of alternative formats, including British Sign Language.