AGENDA ITEM 4.1 26 April 2011 REPORT ON INTERNET ACCESS AND BANDWIDTH AVAILABILITY
Report of Director of Innovation and Improvement
Paper prepared by Technical Development Network and
Support Manager
Executive Summary At the January 2011 Information
Governance Committee it was agreed that a report be provided outlining the issues associated with access speed to the Internet within Cardiff and Vale Health Board.
The Telecoms Service Management Board (TSMB) has investigated the need to support the NHS Wales Clinical and Business Users with a “fit for purpose” solution.
The outcome being the upgrade of the current 100Mb to a 1000Mb internet link circuit with a target installation date of the summer 2011.
Action/Decision required
To note progress and proposed next steps
Link to other Board Committee (s) and sub-committees
Information Requirements Group
Link to Standards for Health Services in Wales
Link to Public Health Agenda
Link to UHB Strategic Direction and Corporate Objectives / Legislative and Regulatory
Framework
Links to both the UHB Operational Plan and AQF 2011/2012
Link to relevant evidence base
REPORT ON INTERNET ACCESS AND BANDWIDTH AVAILABILITY INTRODUCTION
The Committee is being asked to consider the report as an action from the Information Governance Committee Meeting held 11th January 2011. Currently NHS Wales is supported by a 100Mb Internet Circuit that supports are the Clinical and Business users. This link is not suitably sized to support the needs of the organisation.
Events
A national survey of Junior Doctors in NHS Wales by the General Medical Council in the autumn of 2010 identified a serious issue with internet access from every Health Board.
I met with colleagues from the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Post Graduate Department and Mr Drew Evans Head of ICT Aneurin Bevan Health Board to discuss the survey outcome in relation to our organisations. It was agreed that the survey would be presented to the Technical Services Management Board (TSMB) for discussion in-line with other complaints from both Clinical and Business users from both organisations. At the TSMB meeting on 26th November 2010, the board agreed that the upgrading of the current internet link was critical as it was longer suitably sized to support the NHS Wales Clinical and Business users. A submission was made by the chair of the TSMB to Andrew Griffiths Programme Implementation Director NWIS and agreed to support the funding of an upgrade to 1Gb.
The circuit has been ordered from the Public Service Broadband Aggregation (PSBA) provider and is due to be operational in the summer of 2011, when the National Data Centre in Blaenavon becomes operational.
Current Position
In January the TSMB agreed the need for the following actions to be addressed prior to the upgrade of the current internet circuit to 1Gb
o Complie a “single” internet access policy for NHS Wales. This document is currently is a draft form and will be submitted to the Operational Security Service Board (OSSMB) on 6th May 2011. After “sign off” by the OSSMB the draft policy will be presented to the HR Directors Forum for consultation by Debbie Morgan Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board.
o The Quality of Service (QOS) sub-group has agreed a technical solution that manages effectively use of the internet which supports Clinical and Business users in accessing “hosted” applications effectively (such as Cequip / eKSF). The sub group will report back to the TSMB on 19th April 2011 with the following recommendation
Each organisation will be allocated a proportion of the 1Gb link and will be responsible for the effective management of their users for all outbound traffic.
Logicalis will be required to manage the inbound traffic addressing such issues as a large FTP file being sent to a Health Board.
The solution to support the implementation of a national Internet Policy to support NHS Wales
CONCLUSION
The increase in the NHS Wales Internet link and the ability for the UHB to manage its users access, will provide a greatly improved service for both the Clinical and Business users.
RECOMMENDATION
The Committee is asked to:
NOTE the need for a national Internet Usage Policy
NOTE the need for the UHB to manage its Internet Access
effectively
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Health Improvement Improving access to Clinical Information and
Applications “hosted” on the Internet
Workforce All staff will have an improved “speed of access”
to information “hosted” on the Internet
Education and Training
Access to learning material “hosted” on the Internet
Financial Ability to utilise applications such applications as
e-expenses “hosted” on the Internet
Legal N/A
Equality N/A
Environmental N/A
RISK ASSESSMENT
Clinical/Service Not an identified risk but will enable improved
access
Financial Not an identified risk but will enable improved
access at no cost to the UHB.
Acronyms and abbreviations
TSMB – Telecoms Service Management Board
NWIS – NHS Wales Informatics Srvice OSSMB - Operational Security Service Board
PSBA – Public Service Broadband Aggregation
CONSULTATION AND ENGAGEMENT
N/A
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
