Better Security, Better Care
Better Security, Better Care is a national and local support programme led by Digital Social Care, which is a partnership of care provider organisations funded by NHS Digital.
The aim of the programme is to help adult social care providers to store and share information safely. It covers paper and digital records.
The main focus of the Better Security, Better Care programme is to help you to understand the importance of data and cyber security, and complete an annual, online self-assessment using the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT).
Why is it important?
- As a care provider, the programme will help you to evaluate and improve your data and cyber security.
- This means you can reassure the people you support and their families, your staff, commissioners, regulators, and health and care partners, that you are following good practice – and meeting legal and regulatory requirements.
- Care providers who already have an NHS.net secure email account are required to complete the DSPT annually.
- Care providers without secure email can apply for a free NHS mail account, but will need to complete the DSPT before they do so.
- The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are encouraging care providers to use the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) to assess their data and cyber security arrangements and provide evidence they are complying with legal and regulatory requirements.
Read information about the role of the DSPT in the CQC regulation of data protection and security.
How to get help
You do not have to be a data or digital expert to get support. The programme can support you – wherever you are on your data security journey.
- If you are part of a large care provider group with services in multiple parts of the country, your head office will probably have well-developed arrangements for data and cyber security for the whole group.
- Digital Social Care is supporting the head offices and services of these large provider groups with the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT).
- Smaller and medium sized care providers can get help from one of the Better Security, Better Care Local Support Partners.
- These are twenty nine care associations and other local care sector organisations which have received grants to support local care providers in every area of England with data and cyber security issues.
- For care providers in the West Midlands, the Local Support Partner is West Midlands Care Association who provide help and support with completing the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) and applying for a secure NHS mail account.
Page last updated: 2 October 2023
