Funeral Industry News

Burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors are reminded that they continue to be strongly advised to collect Test and Protect details from all funeral attendees.

July 5, 2021 by funeral-industry-news No Comments | Category COVID-19, Test and Protect

Updated Test and Protect guidance now advises premises to collect contact details for all visitors where previously the lead household member’s details were sufficient. If premises allow visitors to provide their details digitally or in advance, contact information only needs to be collected on-site for those who have not yet provided this information. This measure forms part of the national effort to suppress COVID-19, and supports the country to return to a more normal way of life.

There is no legal requirement that individuals provide their data for NHS Test and Protect purposes, however, establishments are also equally entitled to refuse to allow a member of public onto their premises if they do not share their contact details for the benefit of Test and Protect. Employers should make clear to their employees the approach that they wish them to take in these circumstances.

The updated guidance also includes information about the Check In Scotland app. Visitors to venues are able to download the app from Google Play and the Apple App Store. Both the Check In Scotland online form and the app have been carefully designed to give visitors a choice in the way they submit contact details, and data is kept securely, in line with the requirements set out within this guidance. As well as providing choice, the app also allows offline use if visitors cannot connect to the internet. We would encourage burial authorities, cremation authorities, and funeral directors to consider implementing the Check In Scotland app to enable straightforward compliance with Test and Protect guidance.

We are mindful that while tools such as the Test and Protect app may provide a simple solution for some, for other funeral attendees it may be more practical to collect contact information on-site via other means. We are very grateful to all staff at burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors for continuing to do all they can to adhere to the Test and Protect and related Covid-19 guidance. We also thank you for your ongoing work supporting families in these very difficult times.

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