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I’ve just returned from a refreshing break and am excited to dive back into all things digital! There’s plenty of new and inspiring content to share with you this month. I had the pleasure of attending the Sussex Care Showcase 2025, where I met some fantastic digital suppliers and heard from brilliant presenters on the future of care.

A particular highlight was our very own Michelle Corrigan, Digital Care Hub Lead, who delivered a thought-provoking and engaging talk on the transition from analogue to digital. With some great contacts made, we’re hoping to bring a selection of these speakers and exhibitors to our Care Conference in the spring - so keep an eye out for dates and ticket details! 

Key Updates

NHSmail news

New mandatory questions

on DSPT for 2025-26 

The latest edition of the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) is now live.

It includes two additional mandatory questions which adult social care providers need to answer in order to reach Standards Met. 

If you are completing or updating your DSPT, you will notice that there are now 45, not 43 questions that you must answer. 

The new mandatory questions are: 

4.3.1 Have all the administrators of your organisation’s IT system(s) signed an agreement to hold them accountable to higher standards? 

The people within your organisation who are IT system administrators may have access to more information than other staff. Therefore, they need to be held accountable in a formal way to higher standards of confidentiality than others.

7.1.1 You have an asset register detailing your organisation’s hardware, software and data, which is kept up to date. 

This is a list of the devices and computer software your organisation uses which has been reviewed in the last twelve months. 

There are also some minor changes to the wording of other questions. 

Our Better Security, Better Care team is updating our guidance, templates and resources to ensure they cover these additional questions and of course our Bob digital team are here to help and guide you (digital@oacp.org.uk)



NHSmail has been renamed to NHS.net Connect. Your existing secure service, email address, and login details will stay the same, but the new service will offer a fresh look and enhanced features to support your daily work. You will continue to receive the same support from the National Administration Service (NAS) 

Over the coming months, you will move to the new Launchpad, which will replace the NHSmail portal and become your personalised homepage for: 

• Managing your NHS.net profile and password 
• Handling shared mailboxes and user access (via NAS) 
• Accessing Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and more in one place 
• Getting fast, step-by-step support 
• Using NHS.net Connect across desktop and mobile devices 

You do not need to take any action right now.

For more information, access support.nhs.net 

Support & Training 

Whether you're completing your DSPT for the first time or refining your approach, this live webinar will equip you with the practical knowledge and tools. 

What You’ll Learn: 

• How to meet data protection requirements 

• Best practices for protecting personal data 

• Creating and maintaining information asset registers 

• Documenting records of processing activities 

and much more 

This Webinar Will Give You: 

Clear, actionable guidance 

• Live, Expert-led walkthroughs 

Join us online for a dynamic and informative virtual workshop that dives deep into the realities of cyber crime and how the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) can be your frontline defence. 



This live session will equip you with the tools, confidence and key insights to stay secure. 

Including: 

• How cyber criminals operate — and what they’re targeting 
• Practical steps to protect yourself and your organisation 
• A deep dive into the DSPT: what it is and why it matters 
• How to use the DSPT to strengthen your cyber security posture 
• Real-world examples, expert tips, and actionable guidance 

Don’t wait until it’s too late.Register now and take control of your organisation’s cyber resilience. 

For Digital Care Hub webinars use: 

Events | Digital Social Care 

Spotlight Section 

Confidently Compliant: Your Free Cyber & Data Healthcheck coming

in November 

Keeping information safe is a legal, regulatory and contractual requirement. But are you confident that your data protection and cyber security arrangements and practices are up to scratch? 

We’re offering a FREE Data Protection and Cyber Security Healthcheck

to help you verify that your organisation is not only meeting the requirements but also embedding these practices into your daily operations. 

We are part of the government-funded Better Security, Better Care programme so you can be sure that our advice and support is up to date with current requirements. 

What’s in it for you? 

· In-Depth Assessment: Our experts will review what policies and procedures you have in place, and what you’re actually doing in practice. 

· Boost Security Confidence: Get actionable insights to strengthen your data protection and cyber security measures. 

· Confidential report: We will identify areas that can be improved and signpost you to support. 

· CQC Recognition: The health check provides evidence that can be used to demonstrate proactive efforts in data security and working in partnership, which can support your CQC inspection and potentially help you achieve higher ratings, including "Outstanding." 

Book your free Healthcheck today before the rush digital@oacp.org.uk 

Data protection and cyber security eLearning  

Following research that identified a gap in high-quality data protection and cyber security eLearning for the social care sector, Digital Care Hub developed two free courses specifically for care providers. 

• The first course, launched in December 2023, designed for all staff www.digitalcarehub.co.uk/digital-skills-and-training/elearning/staff/ 
• The second, released in January 2025, tailored for Data Protection Leads www.digitalcarehub.co.uk/digital-skills-and-training/elearning/leads/ 

To ensure our training continues to meet the needs of the sector, we’re inviting all CQC-registered care providers to complete a short survey. Your feedback will help us shape our courses to ensure they are both relevant and useful. This survey should take no longer than  5-10 minutes to complete. 

All responses will be used anonymously. 

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=tFtXAnVHWES-F6sgFp_3tMpbhsV7FetKlLnBQCHT4AFUNVdUSjUyQlhSM09RMTdKN0c0Qlg1Q0k3Ty4u&mc_cid=323ea10293&mc_eid=af3f592a3e&route=shorturl

Feedback & Engagement 

We’d love to hear from you! 

Have you had a recent success with digital transformation, cyber security, or data protection? Whether it’s a big win or a small but mighty improvement, we want to celebrate it!

We’re also keen to know how you prefer to receive updates - short videos, bite-sized emails, infographics, or something else? Plus, if you’ve got ideas for local messaging that really resonates with your teams or communities, please share them. Your insights could help others and shape future resources.

Let’s keep the conversation going - drop us a line and let’s showcase the great work happening across the sector! digital@oacp.org.uk 

As your official local support partner, we're here to help. Contact our team for FREE!

If you would like support with completing the DSPT, book your 1-1 now!

This offer of support is part of the Better Security, Better Care programme, to give free support data and cyber security across the adult social care provider sector.