Case Study: Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust achieves comprehensive data protection and enforced USB encryption with Heat Software

Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust - Customer Case Study

Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health and substance-misuse services across Lancashire with over 3,500 staff and many sites, needed to secure sensitive data on removable media. As IM&T Security Systems Engineer and data security officer, Alan Boardman was tasked with ensuring all USB sticks used by staff were encrypted and enforcing device control across a disparate network—something basic open-source tools could not centrally manage or enforce.

After evaluating options, the Trust deployed Lumension Security’s Data Protection solution for its granularity to whitelist devices by model or serial number, enforce encryption, and log all removable storage activity. Combined with a staff education campaign and standardized, asset-tracked encrypted USBs, the rollout (covering 120 sites) improved compliance, enabled centralized auditing and device control (including CDs/DVDs, floppy use and wireless disabling), and significantly reduced the risk of data loss and reputational damage while supporting future expansion to other Trusts.

Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust

Alan Boardman

Security Systems Engineer