News
Norfolk and Norwich Trust secures access to IT networks
16 April 2008
Norfolk and
Norwich University Healthcare (NNUH) NHS Trust is implementing an identity and
access management solution to secure use of its information systems.
The system will be installed by integration specialists Enline. Implementing
single sign-on software from Imprivata, Enline will
initially roll out OneSign, an appliance-based authentication and access
management solution, across the hospital’s A&E department. It
will give a full audit trail of users of Norfolk and Norwich’s IT
systems
The system will also integrate with the
existing Connecting for Health (CfH) smartcard technology, allowing
users to sign on to all applications using one smartcard and pin number.
NNUH will be able to monitor, capture and log
password-related user events for all of the Trust’s SSO enabled users in
a centralised audit log. Administrators can monitor access records for
every user, application or workstation in one central location.
Typically, NNUH staff are required to remember multiple usernames and
passwords to access the Trusts’ multiple applications. The need to
remember numerous passwords places additional burden on staff, creating
frustration over long log-in times and impacting upon productivity. This
also impacts upon the Trust’s IT activity, with the majority of the IT
helpdesk’s support time currently being allocated to answering password
related helpdesk calls.
Slow access has increased the temptation for staff to remain logged
in to allow other colleagues to gain faster access to applications
without being forced to wait during long log-in and log-out times when
changing users on workstations. The new system will remove waiting times and
allow each team member quicker access to all applications through their
own individual password.
Bill Fisher, Head of IT, from Norfolk and Norwich NHS Trust said:
“We take our responsibility for safeguarding patient information very
seriously. Enline’s implementation of OneSign will allow us to have clear and
straightforward security policies across all of our applications and
will even give us the flexibility to tailor stronger passwords to
applications that contain sensitive data.”
He added, “Although secure password and user management were key
factors in our selection, we also recognise the range of
other benefits that the system will bring, most notably delivering
efficiency savings through a reduction in downtime caused by users being
locked out of their computers, providing faster access to patient
information, something which is vital in an A&E department, and
reducing the calls to our IT helpdesk.”
Mike Nelsey, Managing Director at Enline said: “Data security is a
key issue for NHS Trusts as they manage sensitive data on a daily basis.
Users need to switch between multiple applications at a moment’s notice.”
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