 |
 |
In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> > After a general wider search and chat with other colleagues, it has > become clear that the reason that the government is not happy about > encryption on the NHSNW is that they would like to read peoples medical > notes. It would be a neat means of following people around the country > too. There have been nightmare scenarios raised about Spooks being able > to break into NHS computers and say alter the path labs computer record > of an injured IRA bomber's blood group and so give him a mismatched > transfusion or ordering an ITU computer to give a massive overdose of > K+. Even if the MHS exec. Allowed encryption, someone would need to > hold master keys incase the system collapsed- guess who would demand > copies? AmI being paranoid? Or after the Colin Wallace case, can you > trust them to be fair? > Paul caldwell God, this is getting heavy. Feel driven to respond, if only because I'm the only contributor (as opposed to lurker) to GP-UK with the word 'Executive' in his job title. Albeit sufficed with 'Scotland'. There's a difference between deliberate plans and opportunism. Paul seems to be suggesting that the NHSE IM&T strategy is deliberately spook-influenced. There is no reason why such influences, if they exist, shouldn't also apply to Scotland's strategy. I categorically deny that it's even been hinted at. In fact, I can't begin to imagine doing the job I do under such conditions. In Scotland we're also trying to exploit network technology. Motives are solely to do with benefits to health care. And clinician-endorsed security and confidentiality safeguards are sine qua non. I mentioned opportunism, by which I mean that characteristics of any particular IM&T set-up could in theory be taken advantage of for unwelcome reasons. Always a possibility, if not a probability. Just what we collectively must guard against. But a very different scenario to deliberately planning to leave chinks in the armour. Alan Hyslop Computing & IT Strategy Management Executive, NHS in Scotland. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%