Firm becomes only provider offering HSCN directly from a government-approved DC
British hosting firm UKFast today announces the launch of a new secure cloud, dedicated to healthcare service providers and connected directly through NHS Digital’s new Health and Social Care Network (HSCN).
The firm is the only provider to offer HSCN connectivity directly from a government-approved data centre, offering dedicated server hosting and colocation alongside the full-service British cloud portfolio, eCloud.
After working closely with NHS Digital throughout 2018, UKFast is now launching client solutions across the new Health and Social Care Network, which replaces the outgoing N3 Network.
Organisations providing IT services to the NHS are taking the opportunity to connect directly to the new healthcare network through UKFast’s data centre complex, with a significant number of clients signed up and ready launch services on the network in the coming weeks.
UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones said: “We’re meeting people from NHS Trusts who want to unlock new technologies like AI, big data and machine learning. We’re enabling them to do this by plugging in and accessing burstable cloud facilities at a moment’s notice, which is something they just can’t do on N3.
“HSCN is an incredibly exciting step for the UK healthcare community and when aligned with our instantly accessible AI and cloud workloads we are providing a platform that enables innovation faster and at a lower cost.
“The NHS needs to be certain where its sensitive patient data is, so connecting HSCN to our fully owned, UK-based data centres makes perfect sense.”
Clients set to launch on HSCN through UKFast’s eCloud include an AI software provider and a global payroll service, using HSCN to connect with NHS customers and securing the transfer of NHS payroll data.
There are currently 13,500 organisations using an outdated N3 connection that are now required to migrate services to HSCN by August 2020.
Director of Public Sector at UKFast, Stephen Jewell, said: “We’re closely engaged with both clinical teams within the health service and with the HSCN team at NHS Digital to ensure that we are able to offer the right technical solutions to enable digital transformation within healthcare and meet the vision and potential of the new network.
“By offering a cost-effective and flexible HSCN-connected cloud, UKFast is supporting cloud service providers that have only been able to deliver to private healthcare practitioners up to this point.
“This exciting development opens up opportunities in the wider health and social care community and helps to bring new and innovative technologies into the marketplace. The demand to be connected to HSCN through our data centres is massive and every day we’re seeing more and more inquiries.”
UKFast is approved by the government to supply a wide range of offerings through a number of government frameworks. Services include cloud hosting range eCloud, disaster recovery, SaaS products, cybersecurity solutions and CDN.
To find out more about HSCN and how to take advantage of NHS network connectivity, download UKFast’s HSCN Toolkit.
About UKFast
UKFast is one of the largest independently owned hosting providers in the UK, having a current revenue run-rate of more than £52 million and posting £47 million turnover in 2017.
UKFast provides dedicated servers, cloud services and colocation to more than 5,000 government, public sector and commercial organisations, with a wide-ranging product portfolio including Infrastructure as a Service, DR as a Service and its cloud offering, eCloud®.
UKFast has developed educational partnerships as part of its mission to promote innovation and reach out to a new generation of digital superstars. Working with 60 schools and colleges, reaching 60,000 young people in Greater Manchester, UKFast’s team run more than 500 educational events a year. The firm’s team of full-time teachers run masterclasses, workshops and code clubs and also deliver an award-winning technical apprenticeship scheme.
Alongside its product range, UKFast has five fully owned, custom-built data centres and its cybersecurity arm Secarma specialises in ethical hacking and penetration testing.
The family of businesses owned by founders Lawrence and Gail Jones employs 450 people, with UKFast directly employing 325.
Among many accolades, UKFast has been named Cloud Provider of the Year at the CRN Awards and Employer of the Year at the National Business Awards. Its 500-seater auditorium hosts events and exhibitions, and provides a free meeting space for the UK tech community.
