NHS Shared Business Services

NHS SBS Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation Cloud Hosting

NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), supplies cloud hosting services for Robotics Process Automation (RPA).
This means we support users in running automation at scale in a safe and efficient manner by providing hosting services no matter which Business Automation Platform.

Features

• Scalable and Secure Cloud hosted Platforms
• Robust integration capabilities built into the platform.
• Meets strict security and compliance requirements.
• Platform as a Service (PasS) solution
• Full automation solution ready for Hyper Automation
• Fully Managed Solution
• Complete support desk solution
• Able to provide consumption-based pricing
• Vendor agnostic including Microsoft, UiPath, Blue Prism and Automation Anywhere
• Enablement of automation integrations into Salesforce and Oracle applications

Benefits

• Able to scale to meet demand instantly.
• Able to connect into AI and Machine Learning capabilities.
• Security and regulatory compliance via ISO27001
• No Hardware needed, or technical infrastructure.
• Reduced operating costs.
• Reduced licencing costs.
• Reduced Maintenance downtime
• ITIL3 Certified Service Desk Team

£350 a unit a day

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sbs-b.bidmanagement@nhs.net. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

159659959624147

Contact

Louise Hillcoat
07720899258
sbs-b.bidmanagement@nhs.net

Service scope

• Service constraints: No constraints to detail at this stage. NHS SBS will collaborate with you during the proposal stage to identify any such constraints tailored to local considerations and requirements.
• System requirements:
  • We can host Blue Prism designed processes
  • We can host UiPath designed processes

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: The team will adhere to any SLAs as agreed for each piece of work and designated severity level of an incident. Support requirements are discussed and agreed based on a customer’s requirements.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: No
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: No
• Support levels: Our comprehensive cloud support service integrates continuous improvement and defect resolution to meet user needs and business objectives while maximising user satisfaction. We tailor support levels from 2nd to 4th line according to client needs, outlined in a customised service level agreement, blending ITIL rigor and Agile principles with a Dev Ops culture for robust break-fix solutions and aligned service targets supported by ISO accreditations. Flexible charging models accommodate fluctuating support needs, ensuring you only pay for the support you require, while a dedicated technical account manager oversees support allocation to a team of cloud support engineers, ensuring effective and efficient management of all support requests.
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: NHS SBS can support new users onboarding to our platform during the initial conversations, we expect all solutions we be bespoke for each customer.
• Service documentation: No
• End-of-contract data extraction: Users can request a copy of their data on demand, during the offboarding. Though all RPA processes can be stored in the users own code repository.
• End-of-contract process: During the offboarding, we will work with you to determine what needs to extracted from the platform. You will be able to extract most items such as RPA processes will require extra charge. For heavily customised solutions, this will require extra cost.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: No
• API: No
• Command line interface: No

Scaling

• Scaling available: No
• Independence of resources: NHS SBS will use AWS/Azure to provide virtualised platform. These will be separated by customers.
• Usage notifications: No

Analytics

• Infrastructure or application metrics: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Reseller providing extra features and support
• Organisation whose services are being resold: AWS, Azure

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a Tigerscheme qualified provider or a CREST-approved service provider
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Scale, obfuscating techniques, or data storage sharding
• Data sanitisation process: No
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v.30, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Backup and recovery

• Backup and recovery: No

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: Other
• Other protection between networks: We use the HSCN network to protect data between.
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Include any service level agreements (SLAs) you have for availability and how users are refunded if you don’t meet guaranteed levels of availability.; We guarantee availability of 99.9% using cloud platforms.
• Approach to resilience: Available on request.
• Outage reporting: SS&C Blue Prism Cloud provides a service status page as well as proactive service notifications via email to nominated customer contacts.; ; SS&C Blue Prism solutions provide various web-based UI's to allow appropriately permissioned users to monitor, alert and resolve service outages as they occur.; ; SS&C Blue Prism Automations themselves can be configured to provide any technical or business notifications during operation, via any channel (email, web page, API call, pdf report, etc) to allow bespoke service outage, issue or exception reporting during processing.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google apps)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Other user authentication: We will use Smartcards
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: NHS SBS provide detailed features to support as well as using capabilities available for Microsoft Azure and AWS. Centrally managed user access control, limiting access to named individuals only; • Role based access according to the principle of least privilege; • Multi-Factor security, such that no individual can make changes without secondary approval; • A complete retrospective audit/changelog of all activity; • Segregation of environments with separate controls governing each; • Infrastructural security
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: We will use Smartcards
• Devices users manage the service through:
  • Dedicated device over multiple services or networks
  • Any device but through a bastion host (a bastion host is a server that provides access to a private network from an external network such as the internet)
  • Directly from any device which may also be used for normal business (for example web browsing or viewing external email)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
• How long system logs are stored for: User-defined

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: DNV
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 24 February 2016
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: N/A
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications:
  • ISAE 3402
  • NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: NHS SBS operates a Quality Assurance Board, with SIRO, Caldicott Guardian and Info Sec Lead on panel. Business policies and procedures are submitted through this Board alongside regular reporting of Info Sec and Info Gov activity. NHS SBS commissions an audit of our DSP Toolkit annually, which includes our central polices and their application.; It is mandatory for all new employees to read all information security policies during the induction process, and regular 3rd party audits, internal monitoring, and an incident management process, provide data feedback from the business ensuring we capture and eradicate any breach of policy or process.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Changes can be requested through a change request form, logged in an ITIL compatible ticketing system. Following review and assessment, changes are performed and tested in a UAT environment prior to release to the live system, with roll back capability.
• Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: The Vulnerability Management Policy is to secure and protect the information assets owned by NHS SBS. NHS SBS use ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials to ensure our systems are patched effectively. Potential threats are assessed as they are received from the local service and NHS Digital SOC. Critical and High security patches are deployed within 14days from Patch Tuesday and specific vulnerabilities assessed when they are known and patched accordingly. Threat information is received from NHS Digital (SOC) and Carecert, SopraSteria SOC, NCSC alerts, 3rd party vendors.
• Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: NHS SBS actively monitor for potential security breaches using industry leading tools, all of our security policy can be found on our website or on demand.
• Incident management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: NHS SBS have a predefined process to deal with incidents which can be found here C05.02_Business_Continuity_and_Resilience_Management_Framework_v2.0.pdf (sbs.nhs.uk)

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v3.0)

Separation between users

• Virtualisation technology used to keep applications and users sharing the same infrastructure apart: No

Energy efficiency

• Energy-efficient datacentres: Yes
• Description of energy efficient datacentres: Our services reside on the Microsoft Azure cloud space. Microsoft data centres are registered as an EU Code of Conduct Data Centre partner. From Microsoft “We design and build our datacenters toward the optimum PUE figure. We can also predict, with a high degree of accuracy, that optimum PUE figure. As we constantly innovate, we factor these changes into our datacenter designs to get as close to “1” as feasible. Our newest generation of datacenters have a design PUE of 1.12 and, with each new generation, we strive to become even more efficient.” Microsoft have also pledged to use 100% renewable energy by 2025, be water positive by 2030 and zero waster certified by 2030.

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  We are dedicated to delivering social value and fighting climate change as part of everything we do and for the NHS SBS Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation Cloud Hosting Service, implementing a more efficient, digital-first solution is core to supporting the NHS achieve Net Zero. ; Our NHS SBS goal is to reach Net-Zero by 2040, 10 years earlier than the government target, and we are proud to have achieved a 33% reduction against our 2019 baseline. Our Net-Zero agenda guides our work on reducing our impact on the environment, and we have the flexibility to deliver specific actions for our individual contracts. ; NHS SBS brings extensive experience of fighting climate change as showcased through our CDP A-List position and our new Level 4 Evergreen assessment maturity rating. We will work with our customers to understand their specific social value needs and implement programmes that are proportionate, but always in addition, to the contract. ; For customers using NHS SBS Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation Cloud Hosting Service, we can baseline and deliver contract specific emissions reporting. Alongside this, we work from energy efficient buildings and offer working from home and flexible arrangements for all staff to reduce travel emissions. Moreover, we have a digital, cloud-first policy for all our services, aimed at minimising paper usage with an average target of 50% reduction over the life of the contract. ; Our dedicated Sustainability and Social Value team can share knowledge, and best practise with our customers through training to support emissions reduction. Finally, in addition to the core service, we can offer all employees working on this service 3 volunteering days which can be allocated to supporting environmental initiatives in the local area with partners such as Sow the City and the White Rose Forest.

  Tackling economic inequality

  We are dedicated to delivering social value and fighting climate change as part of everything we do and for the NHS SBS Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation Cloud Hosting Service, implementing a more efficient, digital-first solution is core to supporting the NHS achieve Net Zero. ; Our NHS SBS goal is to reach Net-Zero by 2040, 10 years earlier than the government target, and we are proud to have achieved a 33% reduction against our 2019 baseline. Our Net-Zero agenda guides our work on reducing our impact on the environment, and we have the flexibility to deliver specific actions for our individual contracts. ; ; NHS SBS brings extensive experience of fighting climate change as showcased through our CDP A-List position and our new Level 4 Evergreen assessment maturity rating. We will work with our customers to understand their specific social value needs and implement programmes that are proportionate, but always in addition, to the contract. ; For customers NHS SBS Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation Cloud Hosting Service, we can baseline and deliver contract specific emissions reporting. Alongside this, we work from energy efficient buildings and offer working from home and flexible arrangements for all staff to reduce travel emissions. Moreover, we have a digital, cloud-first policy for all our services, aimed at minimising paper usage with an average target of 50% reduction over the life of the contract. ; Our dedicated Sustainability and Social Value team can share knowledge, and best practise with our customers through training to support emissions reduction. Finally, in addition to the core service, we can offer all employees working on this service 3 volunteering days which can be allocated to supporting environmental initiatives in the local area with partners such as Sow the City and the White Rose Forest.

  Equal opportunity

  At NHS SBS, we recognise that a diverse workforce is key to the success of our business, encouraging different approaches and greater creativity. It is integral to our values that we are an actively inclusive employer. ; For any contracts delivered under the G-Cloud framework, we will work with customers to understand how we can create projects to support equal opportunity in alignment with the service being provided. Our dedicated Sustainability and Social Value team will support customers to understand their Social Value focus areas and drive and deliver bespoke activity in these areas.; In relation to equal opportunity, for customers that utilise our NHS SBS Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation Cloud Hosting Service, where appropriate, we will undertake a bespoke materiality assessment to determine the diversity of the workforce. This can look at data points including but not limited to, gender, religion, ethnicity, and disability. For this service, where improvements are identified, we can work alongside partners, customers, and our teams to implement programmes to address areas for improvement. ; For example, we recognise there is a UK-Wide disability employment gap, a key priority for the NHS. For this service, we would work with our partner DFN Project search to support young people with disabilities into internships in our organisation looking to target at least 4 young people per year. ; We have 7 strong inclusivity and diversity networks, and one area of focus is supporting women to reduce the gender gap, therefore, at NHS SBS, we have a mentoring programme for our female colleagues to utilise to support confidence and development in our organisation. However, to build on this further, for new contracts, we will ensure that any applicant from our service is given a place on the mentorship programme to improve the skills development of females.

  Wellbeing

  NHS SBS is dedicated to delivering social value and supporting staff wellbeing. We provide a working environment that contributes to positive health and wellbeing and are committed to supporting the overall wellbeing of the communities we are a part of. ; For employees who work on this service, we will empower managers and employees to work together in a trusting and open-minded way to achieve a healthy work/life balance for all.; Our employee centred initiatives can be implemented alongside NHS SBS Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation Cloud Hosting Service both in our organisation and by sharing best practise with customers. These initiatives include: ; - Accessible recruitment practices; - Flexible working options for all employees; - An employee assistance programme that supports employees with anything from mental and physical health issues to financial and legal concern; - Healthcare benefits; - An Employee Trust (providing financial support in times of hardship); - Mental Health First Aiders who act as a first point of contact for employees; ; Recent new measures designed to prevent and manage risks to employee wellbeing, together with appropriate training and individual support include:; - running regular initiatives to raise awareness of mental health issues at work. ; - encouraging all managers to have ongoing conversations about wellbeing and mental health with all their reports. ; In addition to supporting our colleagues who work on this service, we can also support the wellbeing of our wider community through our volunteering programme, which can deliver three days per employee and can focus on wellbeing projects such as those that support mental health, including social prescribing activity. ; ; Our dedicated Sustainability and Social Value team can support customers to understand their Social Value focus areas and drive and deliver bespoke activity in these specific areas.

Pricing

• Price: £350 a unit a day
• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: No

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sbs-b.bidmanagement@nhs.net. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.