Liverpool gets remote access

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has implemented a remote access solution to let staff access documents and emails when offsite.

The Winfrasoft solution, implemented by its partner, Sapphire, lets staff log on to the trust’s web based portal where they can use NHS mail, the picture archiving and administration system and other web applications with a single sign-on.

Matt Connor, the trust’s IT operations manager, told EHI that the solution’s security system made it perfect for the trust’s bring your own device policy.

“We’ve had a number of legacy devices, which are BlackBerry devices, but we have also now given some of our clinical staff and board members iPads,” he said.

“There has been a desire to use personal phones as well and we got software so staff can use their personal devices. Now we also authorise home devices so users can log in from home, provided the software is installed.”

“It means authorised staff can get fast and secure access from any device anywhere and our systems are fully protected at all times, he added.

“All of the data is stored on the server, not on the mobile devices. If there’s a problem, such as the latest IOS updates, we can choose not to allow this device through. It gives us the ability to control it. “

The trust was already using a remote access system, but it involved a complicated five step log-on and authentication process which included the use of a hard-token, meaning it could take up to 10 minutes to gain entry.

Connor said the trust was looking at various options for months, but once it chose the Winfrasoft solution the pilot was up and running in three weeks.

When staff need to log on, they launch the portal and are presented with a screen that asks them to provide their username, password and personal PINgrid passcode.

The PINgrid is a verification system which uses pattern recognition in a grid to produce a onetime code. All the user needs to remember is a pattern of squares on a grid instead of a PIN or password.

Log-in that used to take around 10 minutes is now down to less than one.

“The easy access and the flexibility mean that we can give staff a front door to the portal,” he added.

“We got 140 staff using it at the moment and we’ve had some great feedback.”