The firm behind the UK's coronavirus volunteer scheme faces questions over privacy. We asked GoodSAM how it handles user data.
- GoodSAM has helped recruit more than 650,000 volunteers in the UK as part of nationwide effort tackle COVID-19.
- At the time of writing, there were over 11,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the UK, with at least 578 deaths linked to it.
- But after being fast-tracked into a contract with the UK's National Health Service, the firm has faced questions over how it handles user data.
- Business Insider spoke to cofounder and director Ali Ghorbangholi to find out more.
- Click here for more BI Prime stories.
GoodSAM, a volunteer network startup, has faced questions over the way it handles user data after being fast-tracked into a contract with NHS England to help in the battle against COVID-19.
Since Tuesday, the firm has signed up more than 650,000 people in the UK willing to deliver food and medicine, check in with elderly residents over the phone, and transport medical equipment.
At the time of writing, there were over 11,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the UK, with at least 578 deaths linked to it.
Founded in 2013 by Professor Mark Wilson, a neurosurgeon at Imperial College London, and former JP Morgan software engineer Ali Ghorbangholi, GoodSAM has worked with ambulance and hospital services in the US, UK, and Australia.
But before being asked by the British government to run the coronavirus volunteer scheme, the firm, which has just eight employees, was relatively unknown.
On Twitter, the firm faced questions over how it handles applicant data, the nature of its relationship with the NHS, and whether or not it had the capacity to coordinate such a large scale project.
Those who sign up as volunteers must pass over personal data such as their date of birth, address, and passport or ID information.
Speaking to Business Insider, Ali Ghorbangholi, cofounder and director at GoodSAM, said the firm used "the securest systems available" to protect applicants' data, sharing it only with the NHS and the Royal Voluntary Service for verification purposes.
Mr Ghorbangholi added that GoodSAM does not share the information with other third parties "in any way, shape or form."
Asked about his company's ability to scale up to the challenge presented by the coronavirus, Ghorbangholi insisted GoodSAM was ready.
"We already have a quarter of a million people using our service worldwide," he said.
"I understand people will have questions about why GoodSAM been awarded this contract, but the fact of the matter is: We are very good at what we do.
"When we spoke to the NHS, they said they wanted this scheme in place in three days. No company was in a position to deliver this service as well or as efficiently as us."
Ghorbangholi added that GoodSAM had a pre-established a relationship with the NHS, as its tech was already being used by eight regional ambulances services in the UK, and had participated in discussions about how technology could further improve the health service.
Twitter users also questioned Ghorbangholi's connection with another firm, Clinic Co, a videoconferencing startup comparable to Babylon, which is listed as dormant on Companies House - but still has an active website.
Ghorbangholi, who registered as a director at Clinic Co, said: "The company is dormant because it's not currently making any money.
"We designed some software for the NHS to use, free of charge, and we hope to be able to make a profit by working with private clinics in the future.
"When we need to, we will re-register Clinic Co as being active."
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