NHS Institute puts files in the cloud

The NHS Institute has implemented SkyDox to improve the way staff communicate within the organisation and with NHS trusts.

SkyDox, a cloud-base file sharing system, will enable staff to access documents without having to carry hard copies or store large files in their email accounts.

Nick Gaunt, chief information and knowledge officer at NHS Institute said: “Staff are frequently called upon to work collaboratively, not only with people at the Institute, but often with two or three hospitals.

“Applications like SkyDox, which are easily deployed and accessible from anywhere, will make the required level of collaborative working possible in the years ahead.”

Before implementing the platform, the Institute had also been using project management software provided by the NHS, but Grant told eHealth Insider this was not effective.

The Institute says the installation has been seamless and should create savings of around £25,000 a year, in comparison to the previous system.

The Institute has subscriptions for 20 members of staff, but the rest can access the service, with 100 in total using it.

Administrators can see who has accessed a file and can prevent confidential files from being downloaded, modified or passed onto another party. No confidential patient data is kept on the platform.

“Collaboration technology is going to be the tech story over the next 12 months,” said Ali Moinuddin, chief marketing officer at SkyDox.

“The public sector in particular will see high growth because of the major reforms underway to reduce cost."