SAFETY & SECURITY SYSTEMS A Growing Priority


As more and more care providers embrace digital technology, Michelle Corrigan, Director of Digital Care Hub and Better Security, Better Care, explains why it’s imperative to build in good data and cyber security arrangements.


Cyber security is an issue for every organisation and every individual.


According to the government’s annual Cyber Security Breaches Survey, half of UK businesses and


around a third of charities report have


experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last year. This is much higher for medium businesses (70%) which makes up a large element of the care market.


As this is self-reported data, it is very likely to be a significant under-estimation with many breaches and attacks go unnoticed.


In our sector, keeping clients’ and staff’s data safe is part of a care provider’s duty of care, and it must take into account the vulnerability of the person and the sensitivity of the data.


Clients’ health and care records oſten contain their entire life history. Personnel records hold staff members’ banking and sickness records. Criminals could use the information in these records to steal their money or identity, threaten and intimidate them, or carry out fraud by claiming to be a person from their life.


Photo credit: Dan Nelson on Unsplash


As care providers, we are all part of a much wider digital information supply chain.


“You don’t have to be the


primary target to be a victim of a cyber-attack.”


The special nature of our sector means the consequences of a data breach can be significantly more devastating than for other sectors. The potential risks are not only monetary loss, disruption of services, and reputational damage, but also threats to the very health and wellbeing of the people who draw on our support.


Even if you don’t use systems such as digital care records or staff rostering soſtware, every single care service uses technology in some way – from permitting staff to use mobile phones for work purposes, or using online banking to pay staff and suppliers. That’s a digital presence. So, every care provider needs to up their cyber security arrangements.


NOT THE TARGET – BUT STILL THE VICTIM


Care providers may think they are unlikely to be in cyber criminals’ line of fire. But don’t be complacent. You don’t have to be the primary target to be a victim of a cyber-attack. There’s a lot of collateral damage out there.


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That chain includes your own tech and IT suppliers, as well as the organisations and individuals who connect with your systems in any way. For example, it would include staff who enter data onto your systems, and banks who manage payments to you on behalf of self-funders using your services.


The supply chain also includes the suppliers, managers and users of tech systems that you access but don’t manage directly – for example, electronic medication ordering systems that are managed by pharmacies, or GP-led proxy access systems.


A weakness at any point of the supply chain can ripple out and affect everyone. Cyber criminals are smart like that – they will exploit any open door, and once they are in, it’s difficult to stop them.


Even if there are no direct financial losses, a successful cyber- attack can have a major impact on staff time, morale and, ultimately, retention. Time has to be redirected to setting up interim arrangements, liaising with staff, clients, family members and stakeholders. It can even impact on your ability to make and receive payments or take on new contracts before the issue is resolved.


For example, Caremark – a large homecare franchise with 140 office and 8,000 clients each week – was affected by an attack on the staff rostering soſtware which they use.


It impacted around 50% of their network and approximately £8m per month of turnover as unfortunately backups were not in place. It became apparent quite quickly that the


www.tomorrowscare.co.uk


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