Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust partners with Cylera on cyber security

The agreement comes as the NHS remains a key target for malicious activity from cyber criminals around the world focused on national infrastructure systems and on disrupting essential services. Only recently, two NHS Ambulance Trusts – namely the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust – reported breach episodes which affected NHS workers’ access to patient records.

According to numerous reports, cyber attacks on the healthcare sector globally are on the rise, increasing by 60% in 2022 compared to the prior year. On average, healthcare organisations around the world experience 1,426 attacks per week, with an estimated cost of £7.8 million attached to each successful breach.

The Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust is home to over 11,000 connected medical and Internet of Things devices and other equipment used for patient care and building management operations. Like many healthcare settings across the country that are adopting technology to help improve and streamline services for patients, the NHS Trust has more than doubled its connected devices over the last three-to-four years.

Fundamental investment

“Investment in our digital infrastructure is fundamental as we continue our drive to provide better care for patients,” explained Gary Hickinson, head of IT at the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. “Our agreement with Cylera is a key part of our overall cyber investment strategy.”

Hickinson continued: “Over the next few years our digital landscape will continue to develop, with new medical devices and systems coming online. Solutions such as those provided by Cylera enable the NSH Trust to have full visibility into all connected medical devices, the Internet of Things and other systems on the network.”

He continued: “The Cylera solution provides full, accurate and live profiles of each and every device, allowing the team to better manage the maintenance of this equipment, assess any potential risks and proactively work with our suppliers and vendors alike to ensure that any vulnerabilities are mitigated both quickly and effectively.”

Cylera’s patented technologies enable IT teams to view, profile, manage and risk assess in real-time their entire cyber security landscape and connected environment, including medical devices, other connected Internet of Things devices and any vulnerabilities in one centralised dashboard. Users can derive a true asset inventory of all devices connected to the network.

Identification of vulnerabilities

Gary Hickinson went on to comment: “We’ve been working closely with Cylera since 2021. After researching the market and speaking with multiple suppliers, Cylera was the obvious choice. Its solution identifies the most vulnerabilities. The company’s experts also understand our digital estate and how we’re building for the future. As our hospital environments become more connected, it’s vital that we have in place the best systems to help protect what matters most: our patients and staff.”

Steve Brigden, head of Cylera for the UK and Ireland, concluded: “It’s a pleasure to continue our relationship with Gary and the team at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. Healthcare settings across the country are investing in new digital strategies as they take strategic steps to streamline services. Cylera’s mission is to ensure these digital environments are secure, that patients can receive the care they need and that NHS staff have a safe working environment in which to operate.”

*Further information is available online at www.cylera.com