Trafford Council is reaping the benefits of high-calibre, cost-effective network security after outsourcing digital security to public sector network specialists TNP Ltd. The ground-breaking managed services partnership delivers greater value for local stakeholders while maintaining optimum protection for the council’s digital infrastructure.

THE CHALLENGE

The Trust understood that digital development is crucial to positively driving patient experience. Moreover, the Journal of Healthcare Quality has reported a link between increased out-of-hours visitation and patient satisfaction. As a result, the Trust had been exploring various options to offer patients and visitors a free and easy-to-use Wi-Fi service to enhance the experience of patients and visitors.

For the Trust it was important that the guest wireless solution that was provided conformed to the Trust’s strict due diligence requirements. This included segregating visitor traffic from the traffic of hospital staff and monitoring use and misuse of the service for safety.

TNP’S SOLUTION

TNP installed a secure, high-capacity system that utilises existing infrastructure rather than overlaying an additional wireless infrastructure. TNP’s solution provided an easy-touse, high-quality, free wireless portal that is compatible with all device types for all hospital patients and visitors, supporting the Trust’s key objectives and significantly enhancing patient experience.

Through the new portal, visitors now have the opportunity to Skype friends and relatives outside of visiting hours, as well as enjoy the comfort of instant entertainment through platforms such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

In addition, the Wi-Fi service is easyto- use and made available to all users to access through either social media login or SMS message allowing for an accurate audit trail. All of the system hardware is located within the Trust’s datacentres, giving the Trust the reassurance that no data is at risk on external or hosted servers located off-site.

When implementing a wireless solution, a hospital would typically have to purchase and install a whole range of new access points. However, TNP’s system has been built upon existing infrastructure, utilising existing access points resulting in significant cost savings to the Trust without compromising on the quality or longevity of the solution. In addition, the solution is completely scalable and not restricted to a limited number of logins at any one time, safeguarding the Trust from additional costs arising in the future.

THE BENEFITS

The benefits enjoyed by the Trust and its patients and visitors through this project include:

• A solution that will seamlessly scale with the Trust’s needs thanks to the system’s high capacity and unrestricted number of users

• Complete access and data security through traffic segmentation and local server hosting, providing peace of mind when it comes to security and compliance.