Cyber Essentials (+) and DSPT: How They Work Together in Social Care

This session will explain how Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus complement the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) for social care providers, helping you meet statutory duties, strengthen cyber resilience and support secure digital working in your organisation.

All Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulated adult social care providers in England must complete the DSPT. This is a legal requirement under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, as amended by the Health and Care Act 2022. https://beta.digitisingsocialcare.co.uk/becoming-fully-digitised-care-provider?utm_

The session will cover:

• What the DSPT is, why it matters to social care providers, and how often it must be completed and republished to remain compliant (every year). Digitising Social Care
• How Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus align with DSPT requirements, helping you meet key controls for secure configuration, access control, malware protection and vulnerability management.
• The added assurance provided by Cyber Essentials Plus, including independent verification of technical controls — and how this supports broader organisational cyber resilience.
• Practical steps and resources for achieving DSPT compliance and exploring Cyber Essentials certification with support from national programmes.

This event is for social care managers and senior staff responsible for information governance, IT infrastructure, risk management and compliance. You will leave with clear, practical guidance and resources to help your organisation strengthen data security and meet expectations around secure communication.

This event is part of the Better Security, Better Care programme, funded by NHS Transformation Directorate to support data and cyber security across the adult social care provider sector.