Healthcare
Cyber Security

Healthcare cyber security services typically range from £3,750 to £50,000+ annually depending on organisation size and service mix. A typical NHS GP surgery (5-20 staff) implementing Cyber Essentials Plus and annual penetration testing averages £5,500-£8,000/year. Mid-sized private hospitals or NHS community trusts (100-500 staff) implementing penetration testing, DSPT assessment support, and vulnerability management typically cost £15,000-£25,000 annually. Large NHS Trusts with 24/7 SOC monitoring, incident response retainer, and quarterly penetration testing typically cost £40,000-£80,000 annually. Specific pricing examples: Internal penetration testing (£5,000-£8,750), NHS DSPT assessment support (£3,750-£6,250), Cyber Essentials Plus certification (£2,500-£4,000), 24/7 SOC monitoring for healthcare (£3,500-£8,000/month). Investment in proactive security is significantly lower than the average £4.4M healthcare data breach cost.

No. NHS IT teams manage clinical systems and infrastructure effectively, but they typically lack the specialised offensive security skills, tooling, and independent perspective that comprehensive cyber security requires. IT focuses on keeping systems available for clinical workflow, while security testing needs adversarial thinking, exploitation frameworks, and privilege escalation techniques that operations staff don't use day to day. DSPT assertion 9.6 and frameworks like Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001 also require independent, third-party testing and certification, so internal teams cannot self-assess their way to compliance, particularly when they are already stretched maintaining EPR systems and supporting clinicians. Most NHS organisations use internal IT for day-to-day security hygiene and bring in external specialists for annual penetration testing, DSPT evidence, and compliance certification.

No. Healthcare penetration testing is specifically designed to avoid disruption to patient care, using testing windows agreed in advance with clinical operations teams, typically evenings or weekends during low-activity periods. Critical clinical systems such as EPR, PACS, diagnostic platforms, and patient monitoring are designated out of scope for disruptive testing unless clinical leadership specifically requests and approves it, and we favour read-only reconnaissance and configuration review over active exploitation on sensitive systems. Testing runs incrementally with immediate abort procedures and escalation contacts in place, so any unexpected behaviour is stopped straight away, and our consultants' healthcare experience means they understand the difference between clinical and administrative systems. Across more than 100 healthcare engagements, we have never caused clinical system disruption or patient care interruption when following agreed Rules of Engagement.

Yes. Small healthcare providers are increasingly targeted because attackers perceive them as having weaker security than large NHS Trusts, and GP surgeries hold valuable patient data, including PHI, NHS numbers, and medical histories, that is highly monetisable on criminal markets. The NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit is mandatory for any organisation accessing NHS systems, so even single-GP practices must achieve Standards Met to keep data sharing and funding, and many NHS commissioning contracts now require Cyber Essentials Plus regardless of organisation size. ICO enforcement doesn't distinguish by size either, so small providers face the same fines and regulatory action for breaches, and ransomware groups specifically target small clinics knowing they cannot afford extended downtime and are more likely to pay. Cyber insurance increasingly requires evidence of security testing to maintain cover, and small healthcare provider packages start from £5,500, covering Cyber Essentials Plus, annual penetration testing, and DSPT evidence collection.

The DSPT is an online self-assessment tool that allows organisations to measure their performance against the National Data Guardian's 10 data security standards. All organisations with access to NHS patient data and systems must use the toolkit.

Many NHS Digital and NHSX contracts now mandate Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification. It is increasingly used as a baseline assurance mechanism in healthcare procurement.

Penetration testing identifies exploitable vulnerabilities in clinical networks, patient portals, and medical device integrations before attackers find them. It also provides evidence for DSPT assertion 9.6 (penetration testing) which requires annual independent security testing.

Yes. Our consultants have extensive experience testing within operational healthcare environments. We agree testing windows, exclusion zones, and escalation procedures before any engagement begins.

According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average healthcare data breach now costs £4.4 million, the highest of any industry. Early detection through SOC monitoring and offensive testing significantly reduces this exposure.

Yes. Our healthcare security specialists have deep sector experience including: ransomware targeting EPR and PACS systems (WannaCry NHS impact, Ryuk hospital attacks), Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) vulnerabilities in infusion pumps, patient monitors, and diagnostic equipment, supply chain attacks via healthcare SaaS platforms and data processors, and insider threats from clinical staff with legitimate access to patient records. We understand the clinical impact of security failures, not just technical vulnerabilities, and coordinate testing around patient safety. Our consultants hold healthcare-specific certifications and regularly work with NHS Digital, ICBs, and private healthcare providers across acute, community, and primary care settings.