NHS N3 Hosting

N3 logoAsckey Data Services Ltd is an authorised third party connector for NHS Net (N3) (Registration ID 8GY54) and is one of a very few organisations that have gained such approval.

For both NHS and non-NHS clients it means that our internal management processes controlling access to our servers have been audited to NHS Connecting for Health (renamed Health and Social Care Information Centre [HSCIC] as of 1/4/2013) specifications.

For Health Service clients this means that when we provide direct on-line support or hosting, both the physical connection and the IP connection are secure to NHS HSCIC specifications. 

 Also:

  • Our processes for maintaining connection, backing up data, and interacting with NHS Net sites have been fully approved by NHS HSCIC. 
  • Each NHS Site that we connect to is individually approved by NHS HSCIC, with its own specific addition to the routing tables within the NHS Net/N3 dedicated router at our site.

 

What this means for you:
  •  We can provide direct, on-line support for our NHS clients using WIMS and Eclipse-fm® Facilities Management software, eliminating delays and costs associated with the need for a physical support presence, to HSCIC Security standards. 
  • We can provide application hosting services for any organisation or business, operated from our data centre to the above standards of audit and approval.  
NHS Net (N3) Third Party Provisions in general
NHS HSCIC recognises that there is a requirement for third parties to have full IP access to NHS Net/N3 to provide applications and remote hardware and software support.

Such third party access is tightly controlled by the Authority. This is only granted after in-depth audit of the third party’s facilities, and only where approved and dedicated communications access to the NHS Net/N3 national service providers (BT or Cable and Wireless) has been installed via approved internet interface architecture including an NHS Net/N3 dedicated communications line and router. Once granted, NHS HSCIC maintains a permanent review of the third party’s facilities for continued compliance with the authority’s requirements.

Individual organisations such as NHS Trusts must then request permission from HSCIC to connect to that third party supplier, and the granting of such a request is confirmation that the third party supplier remains approved by them

What you need to do if you are an NHS client 
HSCIC requires that we obtain a formal request from you which is passed to them in order to obtain their permission to include your connection in our router table

We ask you to:- 
  • Promptly return this request to us appropriately signed 
  • Make appropriate technical support available from your IT department in order to commission and validate the connection.

No N3 Connection?
If we are providing application support, in the absence of an NHS Net (N3) connection your level of technical support from us will revert to the lowest level, that of answering questions submitted by telephone and email only.

This means that any additional support required to resolve requests including any need for direct intervention will only be done at additional cost in the absence of an established NHS Net (N3) "Code of Connection" between us and your site.

For further information and process guidance, visit the Asckey Hosting Website or phone us today on 0845 270 7747.

NHS HSCIC
Further information on the above may be obtained from the Health & Social Care Information Centre website http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/  

And for N3
http://www.n3.nhs.uk/