Three decades of NHS partnership – the credentials, the processes and the published results.
Information Governance (IG) Teams and Health Records Teams across the NHS are handling rising volumes of sensitive data typically linked to SAR, FOI and Litigation requests with strict statutory deadlines. Before a platform is selected to help manage this data and these requests it must pass two tests: it must satisfy the Trust’s information governance and procurement checks, and the platform’s functionality must make a measurable and tangible improvement to how an NHS team can respond to these requests. This article sets out how AMS helps make a real difference in sensitive data and request handling throughout the NHS.
Over three decades of NHS partnership
AMS has partnered with the NHS for over three decades. The most common request types processed by Information Governance and Access to Health Records Teams in the NHS through the AMS Request Management Portal are SAR (Subject Access Requests), FOI (Freedom of Information), Complaints, Litigation, Employee Relations and Data Cleansing requests. This is commonly partnered with AMS File Transfer, ensuring patient data is disclosed securely.
The work it is used for
Across NHS and healthcare environments the platform supports the secure handling of patient identifiable and highly sensitive data. AMS Secure Cloud covers sensitive data, SAR and health records disclosure with a full audit trail, a choice of authentication methods and the transfer of files without the fear of hitting file size limits. Optional functionality such as PACS integration to cater for Radiology and image disclosure as well as controls such as Digital Rights Management (DRM) can limit downloading, printing or forwarding once a file has left the trust. It is also possible to revoke access to a file that has already been sent.
Credentials an NHS Trust can verify
Automated Messaging Systems Ltd (AMS) are ISO 27001 certified and Cyber Essentials certified, and their Data Security and Protection Toolkit assessment is published as Standards Met under ODS code 8K88, on the DSPT register. All AMS Secure Cloud solutions are hosted in Microsoft Azure UK data centres. Files are protected with 256 bit AES encryption while in transit and at rest, and a full audit trail records the request end to end and the transfer or sharing process.
Results published by NHS Trusts using AMS
- University Hospitals of Derby and Burton recorded a 90% reduction in time scale breaches after replacing an existing SAR system with the AMS Request Management Portal (Also known as the AMS SAR Portal). Their existing data base for managing the Subject Access Request process was withdrawn and the Trust moved the entire Subject Access Request process to the AMS Request Management including the disclosure of Radiology images eliminating the need to burn to disc whilst ensuring a secure digital delivery.
- Mid and South Essex NHS Trust processes over 1,000 SARs a month, saves 45 minutes per request and reports 99% + external requester adoption of the digital portal.
- Isle of Wight NHS Trust unified its SAR and Access to Health Records service with Portsmouth University Hospitals following a merging of services, giving both sites one process, shared work queues, more efficiency and cross site visibility of every case.
The support alongside the platform
Many AMS NHS customers describe the support AMS provides before, during and after implementation as exemplary. Rebecca Pascoe, Service Manager for MSE Health Records: “AMS has never failed to listen, develop, and communicate with us... A truly bespoke partnership approach.” Sarah Lloyd, Information Governance Manager at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, on the merger: “AMS’ hands-on approach during portal changes ensured seamless onboarding... both teams were comfortable with the portal and each Trust was catered for.”
If your NHS Trust or Healthcare organisation is reviewing how it manages SARs, FOIs, Litigation, Complaints, Employee Relations (HR) requests or the secure disclosure of sensitive or patient identifiable data, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to our team and we’ll offer advice where we can.
