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NHS Digital has agreed a deal that will allow NHS organisations to make better use of their machine generated information through a market-leading data monitoring and analytics platform. 

The framework will provide local NHS organisations a more cost-effective approach to utilising Splunk Enterprise, a data analytics and processing software, in driving operational insight from machine data.

The deal, which is based on the commercial partnership that exists between Splunk and NHS Digital, will allow local organisations to access real-time data across a range of services that will help to protect against service issues.

The analytics software will help trusts to minimise service outages, as well as help to protect from potential cyber threats.  

The platform can also be used to help reduce system incidents by 15-45% and improve detection and investigation of security threats by 70-90%, as NHS Digital has found over a number of internal programmes. 

NHS Digital has already used Splunk Enterprise across a wide range of national services and programmes including the NHS Spine, Secondary Uses Service (SUS+), e-Referral Service, NHS 111 and the Care Identity System, among others. 

The Care Identity System, which gives clinical staff access to patient records through their NHS Smartcards, has already seen the benefits of using Splunk; the analytics provided by the platform improves the reliability and performance of the system and helps to keep it running at full capacity.

This means that system operatives can pick up on faults and investigate them before they become a major issue for frontline staff.

IT and technical staff with nhs.net email addresses can also benefit from access to Splunk Fundamentals 1 and Fundamentals 2 training sessions, which will teach the basics of Splunk Enterprise through scenario-based learning. The deal will also give staff access to other Splunk educational sessions and events.

Mike Flintoft, Associate Director for Platforms and Infrastructure at NHS Digital, yesterday said:

“Splunk Enterprise has been a key strategic product for NHS Digital for several years and has had a real benefit to ensuring the systems and platforms that the NHS rely on are monitored and available to support patient care.”

Richard Timperlake, Vice President of EMEA, Splunk, yesterday said: 

“There is a tremendous opportunity for the NHS to become a truly data-driven organisation and we are pleased that through this agreement Splunk will continue to be a key part of that journey.

“Our priority is always ensuring customer success and with this new framework in place to purchase Splunk Enterprise and become trained to use it, we look forward to working with more NHS Trusts on their digital transformations.”

“We look forward to helping NHS organisations embrace a data driven transformation of how technology delivers better healthcare.”

Follow us on Twitter: @NHSDigital

Notes to editors

1. NHS Digital is the national information and technology provider for the health and care system.  Our team of information analysis, technology and project management experts create, deliver and manage the crucial digital systems, services, products and standards upon which health and care professionals and citizens depend. During the 2017/18 financial year, NHS Digital published 275 statistical reports. Our vision is to harness the power of information and technology to make health and care better. The Health and Social Care Information Centre is a non-departmental body created by statute, also known as NHS Digital. We provide ‘Information and Technology for better health and care’. Find out more about our role and remit at www.digital.nhs.uk
2.  For media enquiries please contact media@nhsdigital.nhs.net or 0300 303 3888.