NHS Cyber Resilience: Strengthening the Supply Chain

NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have outlined the next steps to enhance cyber resilience across the health and social care supply chain. In their January 2026 letter, they emphasise that managing cyber risk is a shared responsibility between the NHS and its suppliers. Building on the Cyber Security Supply Chain Charter, suppliers may be contacted to discuss their cyber security measures and provide evidence of compliance where needed. This is not an audit but a collaborative process to identify and mitigate risks. Suppliers are encouraged to ensure their systems are up to date, maintain standards in the Data Security and Protection Toolkit, use multi-factor authentication, monitor infrastructure, maintain appropriate backups with tested recovery plans, and follow recognised software security practices. This is to help ensure that patient care remains resilient and protected across the entire supply chain.

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