Safeguarding personal data in the NHS

NHS data security is a sensitive topic that requires strict protocols to be followed. Iftikhar Din explains the experiences of Kensington and Chelsea primary care trust

Kensington and Chelsea primary care trust servesa population of 190,000. It has 43 GP practices and 15 other primary care sites. The PCT recognises that patient data must be safeguarded to maintain trust in our services and in the NHS. Equally, it is critical that data can be shared and accessed remotely and securely by GPs and other health professionals.

The PCT needed a sophisticated solution to allow information to be shared securely by GPs. We wanted to enable GPs and practice staff to have secure remote access to practice and PCT business and clinical systems.To facilitate this, Hytec Information Security recommended a solution that used Windows Server 2003 running Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2006. This was implemented in every surgery in the PCT.

Good results

GPs can now securely access systems in their practices from remote locations via the internet. This allows them to have direct, real-time, secure access to patient records while visiting patients' homes. They no longer need to return to the practice to consult patient data or clinical notes, which allows them to spend more time with patients, leading to a higher standard of care.

From the PCT's viewpoint, it is possible to complete software inventories remotely. We can also select which updates are sent to each practice. GPs have the benefit of using an identical solution regardless of location, which means that they do not have to spend time learning different systems.