Guidance on NHS mobile IT security in poor health

Lack of practical and compulsory physical security advice to blame for recurrence of laptop theft in health sector, says LapSafe® Products

5 October 2011

The shortage of clear, simple and practical advice and explicit rules outlining how NHS professionals should physically secure their mobile IT devices is contributing to the recurring problem of laptop theft within the healthcare sector, according to LapSafe® Products.

The UK’s expert in managing mobile computing, LapSafe® Products believes that the reliance on guidelines, rather than enforced regulations, and the deficiency in practical physical IT security tips is, at least partly, responsible for repeated laptop thefts within the sector. Although NHS Information Governance has created an ‘exemplar laptop security policy’ that all NHS organisations are encouraged to adopt, the document outlines recommendations rather than rules. The guidelines are commended for focusing on data protection, but the document contains little practical advice on how to physically secure laptops and other mobile devices to prevent them from being stolen in the first place.

Mark Exley, General Manager for Product Development at LapSafe® Products, is worried that laptop theft is becoming increasingly common within the health sector. He said: “The NHS is clearly taking steps to tackle mobile IT theft, but, despite its best efforts, there are still far too many laptops reported stolen from the health sector. The current NHS security guidelines are an excellent starting point, but labelling this information as ‘recommended’ rather than ‘compulsory’ risks some staff viewing their compliance with the policy as optional.

“Password protection and data encryption are essential to protect data, but employing physical security measures can prevent laptops from being stolen in the first place and reduce the likelihood of data breaches occurring. If busy healthcare professionals aren’t provided with simple, but detailed, instructions for how to physically secure their laptops, they are unlikely to have the time to seek out this themselves, given their demanding job roles. Although there are likely to be other factors, the shortage of practical and compulsory rules for those working within the healthcare sector is surely, at least partly, to blame for the recurrence of laptop theft.”

LapSafe® Products is concerned that mobile IT theft continues to be a problem for health organisations and is calling on the NHS to make adhering to its laptop security policy compulsory and to supplement it with detailed practical advice on physical IT security.

In June this year, an unencrypted laptop, containing the details of more than 8 million patients, was reported lost or stolen from a storeroom at the London Health Programmes and contained patient information on cancer, HIV, mental illness and abortions.

Laptops and tablet PCs stolen from healthcare professionals can result in devastating consequences for both healthcare professionals and their patients. Crooks that steal laptops from the health sector often do so because the information stored on the machines is worth more than their resell value. If a laptop containing the sensitive information of patients, or confidential medical projects, falls into the wrong hands, patient safety could be severely compromised and clinical developments may be disrupted.

In recognition of the lack of readily available guidance on physical IT security, LapSafe® Products has released The Health of IT Security, a white paper examining the issues surrounding IT security within the UK health sector, including the problem of repeated laptop thefts. Although it is unreasonable that every instance of laptop theft within the NHS could have been avoided, the report offers practical advice for the industry’s professionals to help minimise the theft of their mobile electronic devices.

The Health of IT Security can be downloaded here

ENDS

Note to editors:

• Based in Essex, LapSafe® Products is the market leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of various mobile IT 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.

• The Health of IT Security white paper has been compiled using freely available NHS guidelines on laptop security and research by several organisations credited in the appendix of the report.

• Laptop charging and storage cabinets from LapSafe® Products can safely charge up 32 laptops and provide complete mobile IT solutions 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