NHS Appraisal site back online

Tags: website

05 Mar 2010

The Department of Health has restored the NHS Appraisal Toolkit website which was taken offline last month after routine checks revealed it could be vulnerable to hackers.

The website was suspended by the DH after it said the nine year old system “was not sufficiently robust to withstand modern day hacking." The DH said ministers were now satisfied that the toolkit could be safely restored.

The site is used by GPs and other NHS staff as part of their annual appraisals. The DH asked primary care trusts to extend the completion dates for appraisals and ensure doctors were not penalised following the closure of the website.

In a statement issued on Thursday the DH said: “The Department is aware that this is a busy period for doctors undertaking appraisal activity.

"During the last three weeks, it has been working closely with the provider to ensure that all potential vulnerabilities have been addressed with the intention of restoring the toolkit as soon as possible.”

The DH said further security checks had been undertaken and the findings had been shared with an expert panel including members nominated by the RCGP and the BMA.

The statement added: “The system will continue to be reviewed in line with the government’s Data Handling Review to ensure its robustness and to preserve the confidentiality of staff and patient data.”

The BMA’s General Practitioner Committee has demanded that any extra costs incurred as a result of the closure by either appraisers or GPs having their appraisals should be met in full.

Fiona Barr

Hacker fears close NHS Appraisal website (11 Feb 2010)

Reader's Comments

Up but not running!

08 Mar 10 09:03

Major problems logging in today. the following e-mail has been sent to all users:

"Dear Doctor

IMPORTANT INFORMATION from the NHS Appraisal Toolkit Team

We are aware that some users are experiencing problems with the speed of the ATK website and upgrading their passwords. We are very sorry, but the site is slow because there are currently 5 times more people than usual trying to use it. As the rush to use the site calms down, the system will return to its normal speed. If you do not need to use ATK at the moment, you may wish to upgrade your password when the site is less busy.

USERNAMES

This username is now CASE SENSITIVE. Please take this into account when you log-in.

A number of users have the first character of their username as a capital – you may wish to try this even if it used to work without the capital. If you have a space in your username you may also find the name after the space also has a capital as its first character.

Note: You have 3 attempts at login and then you are locked from trying again for 20 minutes.

FORGOTTEN PASSWORDS

If you have forgotten your password and you have NOT upgraded your password and answered your security question, either:

1. Scan your GMC certificate and attach it in an email to gmc@schin.co.uk. In the body of the email write ‘I authorise NHS Appraisal Toolkit to give me my password’ and include a telephone number we can ring you on, OR

2. Fax (0191 243 6101) your GMC certificate with a cover sheet that states ‘I authorise NHS Appraisal Toolkit to give me my password’ and include a telephone number we can ring you on.

If you have upgraded your password and answered your security question:

· Click on the ‘Forgotten Password’ link on the login page.