City and Hackney shares patient data securely

City and Hackney Teaching PCT in Central London has installed comprehensive security software which, it is hoped, will improve security and confidentiality of transferable patient data.

The system, CheckPoint’s VPN-1R Pro, allows the information infrastructure at the PCT to be available to GPs, pharmacists, dentists and optometrists across City and Hackney. According to CheckPoint, the system also links up with NHSnet.

"Our patients, staff, primary care practitioners, and hospitals can access the information they need directly from the network," explained Peter Nye, head of IM&T at City and Hackney Teaching PCT. "In addition, we can use the internet more effectively for recruitment, retention, training and development."

The firewall system is managed through a central console by a network administrator by CheckPoint’s SMART Management architecture.

The PCT was originally formed out of two previous trusts on 1st April, 2001. "Security consisted of a variety of software programs protecting small systems," said Nye. When CheckPoint was first brought in, it gave more coherence to the security strategy, explained Nye. "In rebuilding the network, the first thing we did was to install a CheckPoint Firewall-1 in prime position to the NHS nationwide network." The VPN-1R system was installed recently to allow information to be shared.

"Naturally, security is one of the foremost concerns for information providers in the healthcare sector," said Nick Lowe, regional director for the UK at Check Point Software Technologies. "City and Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust is a progressive and technologically savvy healthcare provider, and we have helped them achieve their ultimate goal – patient privacy."