The largest health board within NHS Wales has moved to improve its operational oversight and protection against cyber threats with the installation of a new security and network operations centre (SNOC).
The SNOC at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) monitors the organisation’s vast infrastructure which supports its 19,500-strong workforce, who work across 250 locations around North Wales.
The innovation will allow the staff to collect, analyse and display data on the network’s performance, security and availability — this is expected to make detecting, diagnosing and ultimately resolving issues easier.
"Installation of the solution was completed over a compressed timeline with a minimum amount of fuss,” said Martin Parry, ICT and support delivery manager at BCUHB.
The control room — installed by the Burnley-based firm, Ultimate Visual Solutions — comprises a Barco CTRL KVM over IP solution and a Barco 4x2 video wall.
Parry added: “The Barco video wall solution has transformed our SNOC and has enabled us to enhance our service delivery and our proactive maintenance capabilities.”
The primary, secondary, community and mental health services across BCUHB’s catchment area serve approximately 700,000 people, with hospital sites including Glan Clwyd Hospital, the Royal Alexandra in Rhyl, Wrexham’s Maelor Hospital, and Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor.
While the health board’s headquarters is in Gwynedd, its services cover everywhere from Anglesey and Conwy, to Denbighshire and Flintshire.
The project has been led by BCUHB’s Digital Data and Technology Team as part of its improvement programme, and will now be spearheaded by the ICT Service Desk team.
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