Sector · NHS, Health & HealthTech
Governance and assurance for NHS, health and HealthTech organisations
Patient data, shared care records, clinical systems and NHS procurement all depend on governance that can be evidenced. We help NHS bodies, health and care programmes and HealthTech suppliers resolve information-governance, data-sharing, clinical-safety and cyber-assurance requirements before they slow delivery or block adoption.
Lead evidence
NHS England
Strategic data-privacy and data-sharing advisory
National privacy-by-design framework · multiple national workstreams
4 published cases in this sector
What is at stake
What makes governance difficult here
- Sharing data across organisations
- Integrated care depends on lawful, proportionate data sharing between bodies with different responsibilities, systems and governance maturity.
- Evidence NHS buyers expect
- Suppliers are asked for assurance evidence before contracts or deployment. Gaps in that evidence delay adoption regardless of product quality.
- Clinical and patient safety
- Digital health systems introduce clinical risk that has to be identified, managed and documented by the right people at the right time.
- Security of sensitive data
- Health data is highly sensitive. Security controls need to be tested and mapped to the obligations that actually apply.
Where IG-Smart helps
The services that matter in this sector
- HealthTech Governance & Clinical SafetyFor suppliers and NHS teams who need DTAC, DSPT and clinical-safety evidence that stands up to buyer and assurance review.
- Information Governance ConsultancyFor data-sharing, accountability and IG frameworks across organisations, programmes and integrated care.
- Fractional & Outsourced DPO ServicesFor organisations that need accountable privacy leadership without a full-time appointment.
- Cyber Governance & AssuranceFor testing and assuring security where sensitive health data and NHS data-security requirements apply.
Common requirements
Requirements and frameworks buyers commonly encounter
Depending on the organisation, activities and jurisdiction, relevant requirements may include:
- UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018
- NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT)
- Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC)
- Clinical risk management standards DCB0129 and DCB0160
- ISO/IEC 27001 and Cyber Essentials, where buyers require them
Relevant evidence
Published work in this sector
Named client
NHS England
Strategic data-privacy and data-sharing advisory
National privacy-by-design framework · multiple national workstreams
Read the case studyNamed client
UCL
IG audit, improvement plan, training and physical-security audit
Helped shape and focus the final DSPT submission
Read the case studyNamed client
South West London Better Care Fund
Information-governance programme leadership
Integrated-care data-sharing governance
Read the case study
How clients engage
Ways organisations in this sector work with us
Defined engagements
Assessment, audit, readiness, remediation, assurance and defined programmes.
Managed & retained capability
Ongoing specialist governance and assurance where continuity matters.
Complex programmes
Multi-framework, cross-functional, multi-jurisdictional or enterprise requirements.
Relevant practitioners
Who brings experience in this sector
- Professor Dame Donna Kinnair DBESenior healthcare and public-policy leader providing independent perspective across governance, leadership, patient safety, organisational assurance and healthcare transformation.
- Himanshu DesaiHealthcare informatics and clinical safety specialist with extensive experience across NHS, healthcare technology, clinical applications and international health systems.
- Shaista PeartPrivacy and information governance specialist advising organisations on data protection, DPO responsibilities and practical governance across healthcare and regulated environments.
- Michael AbtarGovernance, risk and assurance specialist with more than 18 years' experience spanning privacy, cyber resilience, AI governance, digital transformation, healthcare and complex regulated organisations.
Procurement & trust