Case Study
Connected Programme offers cyber security guidance to local SME, Connected Health
Connected Health Ltd is an independent private domiciliary healthcare provider working in collaboration with the public Health and Social care sector. Connected Health deliver a portfolio of services that allow people choice and access to the most appropriate care, whilst enabling them to remain in their own homes longer. The services that they provide can be delivered either on a discreet stand-alone basis or as a package, thereby creating a continuum of care for their clients. Connected Health currently has 147 staff (140 carers) and 400 clients, who are located across Northern Ireland.
Connected Health Ltd worked closely with Belfast Met around the development of a Connected Care model. After discussions with the company, it became apparent that the amount of data and the confidential nature of this data would require staff to have a higher level of cyber security knowledge and be aware of any threats and vulnerabilities. As a result, Stephen Black met with the company to discuss key areas of concerns. It was highlighted that Connected Health were developing a new system that would transfer sensitive patient information via digital networks to an application the company planned to deploy.
Under the Connected programme Stephen mentored the project manager, Samantha Windrum, in Cyber Security Awareness tailored to the Health sector, as well as discussed future development opportunities that the company had been considering in relation to transferring confidential information. Stephen identified issues in relation to internal threats and vulnerabilities to digital information and how the company could overcome these to reduce the likelihood of a similar incident happening.
As a result of the training, guidance and knowledge provided by Stephen, Connected Health has issued new processes and procedures into the company, from password policies to security procedures. Samantha was also able to provide on the job training to additional staff within the company to increase their awareness of cyber threats and update them on the new policies to reduce threats to patient data. The overall impact of the Connected programme for Connected Health Ltd has been its increased security and efficiency of the company.