Transferring of Datbases securely

[YNWA]

Hi, I was wondering if you could help me please.

We are in the process of transferring our primary care psychological services to a new provider.

Although the service will transfer on 1st July we have negotiated for staff who are currently based at our main office to stay there for approximately two weeks, following which they will move to the new building a few miles away.

I have been liaising with a colegue who is a Information Governance Manager, who advises that databases currently used by staff can be encrypted for transfer to the new provider and that this will require IT support which I may be able to provide.

I understand that there are two Access databases and a Core database which staff use, but are not currently supported by the IT team.

It’s imperative that we are able to transfer this information and I am hoping you can advise on how best to proceed, or if not, would know who I should contact?

Also is a Core database a procgramme like Access or something else?

Thanks
Will

 

[DCrake]

If you are hoping to transfer this electronically over a secure n3 connection then PID is secure. Are you actually taking about moving the data from one location to another - server to server?

David

 

[YNWA]

If you are hoping to transfer this electronically over a secure n3 connection then PID is secure. Are you actually taking about moving the data from one location to another - server to server?

David

Thanks David, ever helpful as usual.

I am not sure what they want to do exactly, waitin on phone call from them.

I thought the same as you, server to server etc.. which ould be done by IT and not me I would have guessed.

However the way it was told to me, I have the feeling it is just a few databases on a network drive at this location and they just need the database on the network drive at the other location. So I thought a simple encryption of the db folder, pop it on a pen drive and take over to the new building. Plug it in, load it up and Save As to the new network that they are working from in a new folder?

Would this work?

It seems so easy, yet because it is patient details I am thinking there must be more to it? I dont think there is though.

If it was server to server, is IT Support the best people to consult (I am an Business Intelligence Analyst) as not really my area I feel?

Thanks again
Will

 

[DCrake]

Would be better if you have an encrypted pen drive instead of trying to encrypt the data. If the pen drive has encryption on it then this is more secure. but like you say this is an admin task not a BA task. I know what you mean about PID you have to be very careful. If you can zip it up and send the zip file to yourself as an email attachment using an nhs email address (n3) then this should also suffice, however I would check with the bosses regarding PID transfers. Make sure you have your arse covered before anything is moved or copied as you may become the point of least resistance and as such the nearest the door.

David

 

[DCrake]

Would be better if you have an encrypted pen drive instead of trying to encrypt the data. If the pen drive has encryption on it then this is more secure. but like you say this is an admin task not a BA task. I know what you mean about PID you have to be very careful. If you can zip it up and send the zip file to yourself as an email attachment using an nhs email address (n3) then this should also suffice, however I would check with the bosses regarding PID transfers. Make sure you have your arse covered before anything is moved or copied as you may become the point of least resistance and as such the nearest the door.

David

 

[YNWA]

Does this sound like an ok reply?

Been thinking about this one and I am sure if its only a folder of database files that you need to transfer from this network drive over to the new buildings network drive.

If so then putting the databases on an encrypted pen drive and simply taking over to new location, inserting into PC, loading and saving in the relevant folder should suffice.

If it is more to do with transferring from server to server, then IT Support here and over in the new building would need to discuss the requirements to do this I think.

Can you add to that or change anything?

 

[gemma-the-husky]

if its physical security thats an issue, in terms of lost data - then surely you can just save the data on a secure PC - take the PC to the new building, install the data, and then delete it on the PC

Have two people do it,. or even hire G4S to move the stuff

I think the past examples of lost data in the UK illustrate worse data management, than a single secure data transfer