The Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSP Toolkit) is an online-self assessment tool that helps organisations within the NHS to benchmark their security against the National Data Guardian’s ten Data Security Standards (NDG Standards).
The DSP Toolkit helps to ensure that robust data security and data privacy standards are in place across the healthcare sector and are aligned to the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
All health and social services are built on a foundation of trust, and the understanding that sensitive information is shared only with the individuals that need it.
As healthcare organisations become increasingly digitised, it becomes more challenging to maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of sensitive patient data. Organisations have a duty to protect information systems against cyber threats, but without compromising quality of care.
Giving individuals better visibility of and control over how their data is processed is also more important than ever.
The National Data Guardian’s (NDG) Data Security Standards apply to all organisations that handle health and social care information. Organisations are required to commit to ten NDG Data Security Standards, split across three Leadership Obligations – People, Process and Technology.
Ensuring staff are equipped to handle information respectfully and safely.
All staff ensure that personal confidential data is handled, stored and transmitted securely, whether in electronic or paper form. Personal confidential data is only shared for lawful and appropriate purposes.
All staff complete appropriate annual data security training and pass a mandatory test, provided through the revised Information Governance Toolkit.
All staff understand their responsibilities under the National Data Guardian’s Data Security Standards, including their obligation to handle information responsibly and their personal accountability for deliberate or avoidable breaches.
Ensuring the organisation proactively prevents data security breaches and responds appropriately to incidents or ‘near misses’.
Personal confidential data is only accessible to staff who need it for their current role and access is removed as soon as it is no longer required. All access to personal confidential data on IT systems can be attributed to individuals.
Processes are reviewed at least annually to identify and improve processes which have caused breaches or near misses, or which force staff to use workarounds which compromise data security.
Cyber-attacks against services are identified and resisted and CareCERT security advice is responded to. Action is taken immediately following a data breach or a near miss, with a report made to senior management within 12 hours of detection.
A continuity plan is in place to respond to threats to data security, including significant data breaches or near misses, and it is tested once a year as a minimum, with a report to senior management.
Ensuring technology is secure and up to date.
No unsupported operating systems, software or internet browsers are used within the IT estate.
A strategy is in place for protecting IT systems from cyber threats which is based on a proven cyber security framework such as Cyber Essentials. This is reviewed at least annually.
IT suppliers are held accountable via contracts for protecting the personal confidential data they process and meeting the National Data Guardian’s Data Security Standards.
Understanding how the NDG standards apply to your organisation and putting the necessary controls in place to meet them can be daunting.
Incluzion Business Solutions is provider of managed security and assessment services. We have experience of working with organisations of all sizes, including hospitals, health trusts and others in the healthcare sector, helping them to significantly improve their cyber security posture.
As a CREST accredited provider of security assessment services, Incluzion Business Solutions can help organisations to review and implement cyber security practices in line with NDG Data Security Standard 9. This requires organisations to undertake a penetration test at least once a year, covering critical network infrastructure and web servers. Red teaming also helps to test continuity plans, as mandated by NDG standard 7.
Proactive identification of data breaches is a key NDG obligation but is often difficult for organisations, particularly those that lack a dedicated security team, to achieve. We are experts in providing Managed Detection and Response service that provides the support needed to detect current and emerging cyber threats the actionable mitigation guidance needed to respond swiftly and effectively to them.
We are trusted by global cyber insurers to conduct thousands of breach investigations
every year. Our experts can help you contain, recover and mitigate future attacks.
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