[PDF] Does your Business Continuity Plan answer these questions?

215231 Does your Business Continuity Plan answer these questions? The questions below are some of the things that your Business Continuity Plan should answer so that it can help you with an IT outage. It is based on things that have previously caught practices out and so whilst its not a comprehensive list its important to make sure plan contains all of this. Of course the business continuity plan should cover non IT outage issues as well.

Access to Premises

Are you able to access all rooms (even those used by other services)? How will you give IT support teams access to your premises at weekends/evenings?

Who has the key to the server cabinet?

Hardware

Do you have an asset list (list of all hardware (desktops/phones/laptops/check in kiosks) and where they are/who has them). Does this include any practice owned equipment? Do any of your staff bring their own device (phone/laptop) and connect to the network? If so, do you have a way to disconnect them from the network (e.g. device management) if there is a virus spreading?

Software

For practice purchased devices and software, where are the license keys/download links? (Will be needed if you need to rebuild the machines).

Clinical Systems

What will you do if EMIS is unavailable?

What will you do if Docman is unavailable for several days? What will you do if e-RS, 2 week wait, ePS is down for several days?

Network connectivity?

Is any of your medical equipment connected to the network? Do they need to be connected to the network to function? What will you do if they can't be used? What will you do if the practice is disconnected from the network (so no IT systems work)? Do you have an agreement with another GP Practice to work at their site?

How will you notify patients?

What clinics will be essential to keep on and where will these be held? What will you do if all other local practices are also down including the GP Practice you have an agreement with? What will you do if you are unable to print for several days?

Phone System, Printers and Reception Kiosks

What will you do if your reception kiosks go down?

What will you do if your phone system is down?

How will you contact patients?

How will you contact staff?

How will you contact other services?

How will this change if all your IT systems are also down? Do you use key fobs to access rooms? If so, what happens if this system goes down?

During the outage

Who will lead during the outage (role is preferred rather than person in case they are on holiday)? o Who will liaise with the CSU? o Who will liaise with the CCG?

How will you keep staff up to date?

How will you update patients?

How will you update other services?

If you need any help please contact Jacqui Bleatham (CSU) jacqui.bleathman@nhs.net Does your Business Continuity Plan answer these questions? The questions below are some of the things that your Business Continuity Plan should answer so that it can help you with an IT outage. It is based on things that have previously caught practices out and so whilst its not a comprehensive list its important to make sure plan contains all of this. Of course the business continuity plan should cover non IT outage issues as well.

Access to Premises

Are you able to access all rooms (even those used by other services)? How will you give IT support teams access to your premises at weekends/evenings?

Who has the key to the server cabinet?

Hardware

Do you have an asset list (list of all hardware (desktops/phones/laptops/check in kiosks) and where they are/who has them). Does this include any practice owned equipment? Do any of your staff bring their own device (phone/laptop) and connect to the network? If so, do you have a way to disconnect them from the network (e.g. device management) if there is a virus spreading?

Software

For practice purchased devices and software, where are the license keys/download links? (Will be needed if you need to rebuild the machines).

Clinical Systems

What will you do if EMIS is unavailable?

What will you do if Docman is unavailable for several days? What will you do if e-RS, 2 week wait, ePS is down for several days?

Network connectivity?

Is any of your medical equipment connected to the network? Do they need to be connected to the network to function? What will you do if they can't be used? What will you do if the practice is disconnected from the network (so no IT systems work)? Do you have an agreement with another GP Practice to work at their site?

How will you notify patients?

What clinics will be essential to keep on and where will these be held? What will you do if all other local practices are also down including the GP Practice you have an agreement with? What will you do if you are unable to print for several days?

Phone System, Printers and Reception Kiosks

What will you do if your reception kiosks go down?

What will you do if your phone system is down?

How will you contact patients?

How will you contact staff?

How will you contact other services?

How will this change if all your IT systems are also down? Do you use key fobs to access rooms? If so, what happens if this system goes down?

During the outage

Who will lead during the outage (role is preferred rather than person in case they are on holiday)? o Who will liaise with the CSU? o Who will liaise with the CCG?

How will you keep staff up to date?

How will you update patients?

How will you update other services?

If you need any help please contact Jacqui Bleatham (CSU) jacqui.bleathman@nhs.net