NHS Digital has made arrangements to support the take-up of a virtual smartcard for its staff to access digital systems.
It said the move – accompanied by streamlining the processes for physical cards – is important for the deployment of the new Nightingale Hospitals where thousands of staff need to be verified and onto systems quickly to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
The digital services provider for NHS England has centrally procured a cloud based virtual smartcard solution with Isosec – which involves the use of a QR code provided through the relevant portal – making the licences available immediately and enabling NHS organisations to quickly access new physical smartcards.
The process for verifying new users has also been streamlined with a remote verification system by video call to maintain social distancing measures and remote working.
The virtual smartcards will be available centrally for organisations who need them to support their Covid-19 response.
Steps required
Organisations taking on the virtual smartcard are required to remove the identity agent (IA) client provided by NHS Digital and install Isosec’s proprietary IA client on all machines. This will then allow the virtual smartcard (and physical cards) to be used for authentication.
In addition, staff issuing cards will need to install additional Isosec software.
End user organisations must then verify the identity of users and create a digital identity for them in the Care Identity Service, via the normal user registration service process.
NHS Digital said these measures will support NHS organisations to get new and returning members of staff onto NHS systems quickly and smoothly.
Physical smartcards and readers remain available. NHS Digital has put a range of measures in place to support their fast deployment, including offering to bulk print smartcards for organisations who need this support.
Increasing capacity
Patrick Clark, programme director for the Covid-19 Access Logistics Hub at NHS Digital, said: “With the new virtual smartcards and our increased capacity to rapidly provide large volumes of physical smartcards, we hope to be able to provide the NHS frontline with the systems and services they need to meet the challenge posed by Covid-19.
“Our aim to is to be responsive to the needs of the NHS and social care and to put in place whatever measures possible to reduce their burden.
“We want to ensure that NHS staff don’t have to spend time thinking about things like smartcards or access to systems because the processes are in place to make this as easy as possible.”
NHS Digital has also published emergency guidance on remote identity registration and said it will publish a full list of virtual smartcard products which meet national cyber security standards.
NHS Digital is also working with Isosec to develop an advanced electronic signature version of its Virtual Smartcard solution for the Electronic Prescribing Service.
Image from Isosec
