A cyber resilient health and adult social care system in England: cyber security strategy to 2030 – A policy paper by the Department of Health & Social Care

This policy paper published in March 2023 by the Department of Health & Social Care outlines the strategy and approach applicable across health and social care systems that will help protect against critical cyber security risks they face. It details five pillars of strategy, that will be supported by a national implementation plan:

• focus on the greatest risks and harms
• defend as one
• people and culture
• build secure for the future
• exemplary response and recovery

The paper details cyber threats to the health and social care sector, challenges faced as well growing capabilities that can be used in response.

To read the full paper, please see here.

Ashtons has compliance with secure email information standard

We are pleased to say that Ashtons recently achieved compliance to the ‘NHS Digital DCB1596: Secure Email’ standard in January this year. This information standard covers the minimum non-functional requirements for a secure email service, covering storage and transmission of email, including where email is used for the sharing of patient identifiable data.

This provides documented assurance by NHS Digital that Ashtons email meets the highest security requirements required to send emails with sensitive information to the ashtons.com domain instead of NHS Mail. A current list of DCB1596 accredited organisations can be accessed here.