In the early months of the COVID‑19 pandemic, before vaccinations were widely available, we were commissioned by the Royal Devon University Healthcare Trust to develop a secure digital platform for regular staff testing. The goal was simple but vital: to help healthcare workers across the South West test frequently and safely, preventing asymptomatic transmission within hospitals and community care settings.

The system connected every stage of the process — from registration and authentication to sample tracking and lab analysis. Staff could log in, scan a barcode on their test sample using their smartphone, and automatically link it to their profile. Behind the scenes, the platform integrated seamlessly with hospital lab systems, enabling test requests and results processing with minimal manual handling.

Different administrative levels were built in, allowing human resources teams, clinicians, and lab technicians to each access the functions they needed — including alerts for positive results to contain potential outbreaks swiftly.

Given the platform’s sensitive nature, security was paramount. It underwent rigorous independent penetration testing, and all identified risks were fully mitigated. In practice, it became an unseen line of defence — quietly helping to prevent dozens of potential outbreaks and keeping essential healthcare services running when they were needed most.