A GROUNDBREAKING IT resource-sharing project saving Stafford taxpayers £1 million a year will not compromise their data security, council bosses claim.
In the first scheme of its type in England, Staffordshire County Council is set to share its IT functions with the NHS in a Public Sector Network (PSN).
Councillors claim sharing landlines, mobiles, broadband and databases with South Staffordshire Health Informatics Service (SSHIS) will save rate-payers £1 million every year.
And they have hit out at claims from IT security experts that merging public services will lead to data security breaches.
The council says as each organisation’s data is held “completely separately and securely”.
Cabinet member for assets, performance and organisation Mark Winnington said: "The county council is continually striving to join with other organisations where possible to gain greater efficiencies.
"To set up one of the first public sector networks in the country here in Staffordshire is a major step forward. “Having health and councils working with one communications system is unique." “This really is an innovative way of collaborative working. It is adapted to Staffordshire's needs and makes a real difference to our residents." Graeme Stewart, of internet security firm Sophos, said outsourcing IT could lead to job losses and data breaches.
He said: "We will start to see problems such as those experienced with the NHS IT system, which has more data breaches than any other body because it is centrally managed.
"Breaches are not a failure of IT, they are a failure of policy. They can't be fixed by implementing a piece of software." Mr Stewart said mergers like the PSN could lead to jobs being lost in councils’ information security departments.
He believes this loss of expertise could result in the need for external assistance, which would be "more costly than retaining the talent in the first place”.
Staffordshire County Council already shares an IT network with the county's district and borough councils.
