Can I be confident that the Carer Companion App is safe to install and use?
Our app is only supported on iOS and Android – and both these platforms have their own internal and stringent controls on the apps available for download on their respective app stores, so that such apps are safe for users. See below for more information on these controls:
So, our app will only be available for downloads if it has passed through the vetting process of the app stores. We do recommend:
The user updating the CareLineLive app to the latest app available on the app stores – there are in-app notifications for upgrades as well as both Android and iOS will generate notifications as long as the user has allowed these.
The user to follow the security recommendations of their respective mobile platforms e.g. Android’s advice that Google Play Protect should be enabled.
Why do I need to give permission for camera use?
This is needed as the check-in process requires scanning a QR code. Your organisation may also allow photos to be attached to care notes, task completions and observations.
Your organisation does have the option to allow checking in without scanning a QR code, but even in this scenario, without the permission for Camera use, the check-in process will not complete.
Photos are not stored when scanning a QR code
If photos are ever taken (as part of a task completion, care note, or observation), these are only stored temporarily on the device until they are uploaded to your organisation's CareLineLive installation.
The CareLineLive app does not have access to any other data (e.g. generated and stored for other apps) on the device – as explained in the Android and iOS app security articles referred to above.
Why do I need location services enabled?
An important compliance requirement for service providers is to keep records of when and where visits are attended. CareLineLive records the location of where a visit is checked-in in two different ways:
A QR code at a client's property is scanned which co-relates the location of the carer to the client's property. Checking-in by scanning can, however, be made optional by the service provider, and is also not a fool-proof way of knowing that the checking-in happened at the client's property.
The GPS record of the mobile device is also recorded.
For 2 to work, location services have to be enabled.
However, CareLineLive does not track and record the location of the carer continuously. Only when a carer initiates a check-in process is the location recorded by GPS.
How secure and private is any service user's data in the app?
For the security of any servicer users’ data, any files that are temporarily stored on a carer's mobile device are encrypted separately from the operating system encryption – we apply our own encryption to each file when storing/accessing them.
What other security features are available?
Your system administrator can also choose to enable 'Soft Authentication' - which requires users to confirm their lock-screen in order to access the app after it's not been used for a period of time. You can read more about this in Soft Authentication