Statement from LapSafe® Products: laptop theft at the London Ambulance Service

08.09.2011

The UK’s expert in managing mobile IT, LapSafe® Products, is urging NHS authorities to ensure that staff are aware of IT security procedures, following the theft of an unencrypted laptop from the home of a London Ambulance Service contractor.

The laptop contained personal information on 2,664 patients, including names, addresses, NHS numbers and dates of birth, and was stolen from the home of an agency member of staff. Although the contractor had legitimate access to the records, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ruled that the contractor had breached trust policy by emailing the information to a personal account, and then downloading in onto a personal laptop which was not encrypted.

Laptop theft from NHS organisations can have serious implications, especially when these machines are unencrypted. Not only could patient safety be compromised if sensitive information fell into the hands of blackmailers, but confidential medical projects could be disrupted and regulatory fines of up to £500,000 could be issued by the ICO.

Mark Exley, General Manager for Product Development at LapSafe® Products, is concerned that laptop theft within the NHS seems to be a recurring problem. He said: “Almost every time that a laptop is reported lost or stolen from a UK health authority, reports are that the employee responsible for this loss has acted in spite of the body’s existing security procedures. NHS staff and contractors are recommended to follow the exemplar ‘Laptop Security Policy’ drafted by NHS Information Governance, but time and time again we are told that staff breach this policy, suggesting that they might not be aware of its existence.

“The current IT security guidelines in place within the NHS are an excellent starting point, but these can only be effective if staff are conscious of their obligation to follow them. I am urging all NHS authorities to ensure that their employees are reminded of what they need to do to protect their mobile IT and data, and that managers offer regular and monitored training to ensure that staff are clear of the requirements set out in the ‘Laptop Security Policy’.” Although the ICO has expressed that the trust has now taken action to ensure that staff are aware of the organisation’s IT security policy, LapSafe® Products is concerned that other NHS bodies may not follow suit. In order to help prevent future cases of laptops stolen from the NHS, LapSafe® Products is calling on NHS managers to ensure that their staff are made aware of how then can prevent laptop theft through organisational communication channels and regular training.

This information should cover the need to encrypt data, but also emphasise the importance of not relying upon encryption alone. Thieves that steal laptops with sensitive information often do so because the information they contain exceed the machine’s resell value, and will not stop at anything, not least encryption, to get their hands on this data. The best way to protect data is to minimise the risk of the laptop being stolen in the first place by using physical security tools, such as security cables and reinforced cabinets to secure devices.

ENDS

Note to editors:

• Based in Essex, LapSafe® Products is the market leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of various laptop security and charging solutions. LapSafe® Products created the UK’s first ever laptop storage and charging trolley in 2000 and has more than a decade of experience in providing safe, secure and technologically advanced mobile ICT storage and charging solutions to the education and commercial sectors.

• Laptop charging and storage cabinets from LapSafe® Products can safely charge up 32 laptops and provide a complete mobile IT solution to organisations requiring automated data transfer and wireless access. The trolleys protect against theft and allow equipment to be transported throughout a building, office or school.

For more information, please contact:

Vicki.cole@lapsafe.com / 01787 226181

Rachel.edwards@lapsafe.com / 01787 226185