NHS Digital is due to expand its cybersecurity service, announces Innovation Minister, Nicola Blackwood. CareCERT was launched one year ago, helping health and care organisations to improve cybersecurity. This programme gives advice to organisations about digital threats and cybersecurity practice.

The service currently sends out broadcasts on cyber threats and resolutions. It is soon to be expanded to include three new services. The first new service will be about knowledge. It will introduce a new e-learning portal, which will help to train staff on cybersecurity basics.

The second service will be called ‘Assure’, and will help organisations to assess their cybersecurity measures against industry standards. The last stage will be reaction. In this stage a support service will be provided to help reduce the impact of a data security breach, and helping the organisation to recover and restore security as soon as an attack hits.

Nicola Blackwood commented, “The risks from cyber attacks are ongoing and ever changing across all sectors”. She adds that “we need to make sure that health and social care information is protected with the highest possible stands of security”.

NHS Digital’s CareCERT Service

The CareCERT service will help over 1.3 million NHS staff and those who work in care to boost their awareness of cybersecurity. It will ensure that valuable patient information remains secure. NHS Digital Chief Executive Andy Williams encourages health professionals to use this programme. He adds “We want to work with as many organisations as possible” in order to develop and test their material depending on particular needs.

Edited from sources by Ruby Arenson