THE Bishop of Portsmouth has asked the government to recognise how Isle of Wight residents are serving the nation by trialling an NHS app.

The Rt Rev Christopher Foster was speaking in a virtual session of the House of Lords and directed his question at the minister from the Department of Health and Social Care.

It comes 10 days after Isle of Wight residents began to trial the new NHS app that aims to combat the spread of coronavirus by tracking and tracing its spread from person to person. Official figures suggest that around 60,000 people have downloaded it so far, despite some concerns about its effectiveness.

Bishop Christopher asked: “The minister will know that tens of thousands of people on the Isle of Wight have downloaded and used the Covid-19 tracking app.

“The people of the Island often feel, with some justification, I regret to say, that they are considered last, if at all. Now, despite questions about privacy, effectiveness and rollout, they have been the first to step up and make a significant contribution to the nation’s common good. Will he undertake to look at how their service might be recognised?”