A quartet of care providers’ associations have begun to receive support under a programme to strengthen cyber security in adult social care.
The Cyber Resilient Care programme is being run by community interest company Digital Care Hub over the next three months with support from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) under its Cyber Local programme.
It involves a series of workshops and assessment to 10 care providers in each of three regions – the South West, North West and West Midlands – with a prioritisation of services registered by the Care Quality Commission and for day care. It also involves webinars open to all care providers.
The four associations involved in the programme are Partners in Care Dorset, the Registered Care Providers Association Somerset, the West Midlands Care Association and the Liverpool Social Care Partnership.
Digital Care Hub said the support will enable care providers to train staff to recognise and manage cyber incidents, check for vulnerabilities and strengthen the security of their IT systems and devices, and provide reassurance that they are taking steps to improve their cyber security. The latter will be valuable in dealing with commissioners, funders, regulators, insurers, staff and people using their services.
Building skills and confidence
The organisation’s head of programme delivery, Daniel O’Shaugnessy, said: “Digital Care Hub is delighted to offer this really practical support to small care providers.
“We know they often struggle to have specialist knowledge and skills in place to manage security incidents. Our Cyber Resilient Care programme will build their skills and confidence in an accessible, practical way based around typical cyber security scenarios that are most likely to affect small providers.
“This new programme builds on our existing work: it will be delivered by four of the trade associations that currently support our Better Security, Better Care programme. But we are also bringing in additional technical assistance from local police led Cyber Resilience Centres, as well as adapting existing exercises and resources from the National Cyber Security Centre.”
The programme is one of 30 to have received support from DSIT, with shares of £1.9 million, as regional skills projects to bolster cyber defences.
