Laptop Build - Remote HSCN Access

Created by James Harley, Modified on Tue, 16 Apr at 2:31 PM by James Harley

To access any clinical system such as EMIS, SystmOne, Vision, Adastra etc users will need access to the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN). An approved NHS Digital list of HSCN Providers can be found here:

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/health-and-social-care-network/hscn-suppliers

An NHS property such as a GP Surgery or Hospital will have a dedicated circuit to HSCN. However if users wish to work remotely, they will require a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection that some of the HSCN Providers in the link above will provide. Some of the common providers for HSCN VPNs (sometimes referred to as a HSCN Commercial Aggregator) are:

Average cost of a VPN Token is around £250 per user per year.

As well as the VPN Software you will also need the following:

Secure Boot
BitLocker Drive Encryption
Cyber Essentials
Clinical System(s) - EMIS, SystmOne, Vision, Adastra, etc
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client v4.x (VPN) - to use with VPN Token and HSCN Username (provided by HSCN Supplier)
Cisco Profile Configuration File (.pcf) for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client (supplied by HSCN Provider)
VPN Token OATH Seed from HSCN Supplier (import into SafeNet MobilePASS)
SafeNet MobilePASS - App Store or Google Play (to generate VPN Token Password/PIN )
NHS Smartcard Reader - Integrated or external (USB)
Smartcard Reader Software
NHS Digital Identity Agent
NHS Credential Management
Java (for NHS Portal)
Microsoft .NET Framework 4
MS Office (at least MS Word and MS Excel)*
SafeNet MobilePASS - App Sore or Google Play
Anti-Virus and Malware software

* You can use LibreOffice with EMISWeb which is a free open-source desktop solution

It is also advised that your device is encrypted using BitLocker.

The NHS Spine Technical Information: Warranted Environment Specification (WES) which defines the technical standards a device must meet to access NHS Digital Services can be found here - https://digital.nhs.uk/services/spine/spine-technical-information-warranted-environment-specification-wes#latest-wes-update