Council encrypts data communications

St. Helens Council has selected new gateway email encryption technology to safeguard sensitive information in electronic communications and protect the privacy of social care clients.

The encryption investment allows the council's Adult Social Care and Health department staff to automatically encrypt all emails carrying confidential information on client social care to external organisations and providers, reducing the risk of data leaks and complying with new UK standards regarding the transfer of electronic social care records.

As well as the ability to securely send referrals and care plans via email rather than fax or letter, the elimination of paper-based communications means the council can also ensure arrangements for care can begin as quickly as possible to increase the effectiveness of the services it provides to citizens.

The local authority was concerned about the internal management of sensitive client data and the safety of personal and social data being sent electronically to external health organisations and service providers.

Ste Sharples, information communications technology business manager for St. Helens Council said: "We've always taken the responsibility to protect client information very seriously and the introduction of government data sharing regulations was a catalyst to further improve the way electronic data was transmitted."

He added that an important consideration of the new technology was that it be deployed with minimal disruption and without requiring email recipients to install any additional software or change their computing environment.

The authority also wanted to ensure compliance with the Government Connect programme, which is a new security initiative designed to create a common infrastructure for local authorities to share electronic client information across government departments and with each other.

Following a recommendation from its IBM representative, St. Helens worked with third party provider Intellect Security, who recommended using Universal Gateway Email encryption technology from PGP.

Intellect had to demonstrate interoperability with the council's existing Lotus Notes Domino infrastructure before rolling the encryption gateway out to its entire Adult Social Care and Health department.

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