UK

Scottish Health System to Receive 1m £ to Secure USB ports.

NHS boards across Scotland are to share GBP 1 million to help them improve their IT security, beginning with securing USB ports.The funding, from the Scottish Government’s e-Health budget, will be used to help boards comply with new government standards. The new rules on encrypting NHS data were introduced after the discovery of paper patient records at a disused hospital.

The 14 NHS boards across Scotland will receive a share of the money, to help them implement the software needed to lock-down computer USB ports.

As a result, the Scottish government commissioned an independent report, which has led to the issuing of new security regulations. These state all mobile devices - such as laptops and memory sticks - that are used to store patient-identifiable data must be encrypted to a new common standard.

For more information, please visit: www.scotland.gov.uk