March 17th 2025
Congratulations to our director, Michelle Corrigan, on being awarded joint Cyber Leader of the Year at the Cyber Associates Network (CAN) awards on Friday.
The award topped off a a particularly busy week for Michelle – starting with International Women’s Day on 8 March, when she posted about the importance of women being a visible part of the cyber sector – not just the social care sector. That was followed up by a panel discussion with a group of extraordinary women at the Cyber Associates Network conference. They discussed the challenges women face and the fact only 4% of cyber leadership roles are held by women.
Michelle went on to be announced as the joint winner of the Cyber Leader of the Year at the CAN awards alongside Mark Dimock of NHS England.
As Programme Director of Better Security, Better Care, Michelle Corrigan has led transformative change in data and cyber security within adult social care.
Under Michelle’s leadership, over 75% of registered care services complied with the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) by December 2024—up from just 15% in 2021. This achievement reflects her commitment to improving sector-wide data security.
Michelle has driven a culture of data security awareness, emphasising its role in integrating health and care services. She has fostered collaboration between the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS colleagues, and care provider associations, ensuring a united approach to cyber resilience.
Recognising the challenges smaller providers face, Michelle expanded 28 local support organisations to offer direct guidance on data protection and cyber security. This initiative has been vital for providers lacking in-house expertise, making compliance more accessible.
Michelle also championed innovation by developing two free-to-use e-learning courses tailored to adult social care. These resources provide affordable, sector-specific training, empowering care providers to strengthen their data security practices.
Her proactive approach includes preparing for future threats. She has spearheaded the Cyber Resilient Care programme and cyber incident response plans, equipping the sector with strategies to mitigate risks.
The BSBC programme has evolved beyond DSPT compliance to embedding long-term data security principles in care services. Michelle’s leadership has strengthened trust, resilience, and integration with health services, ultimately improving care outcomes.
Speaking about the award, Michelle said:
“I’m truly honoured to be recognised as CAN Cyber Leader of the Year. This award is a testament to how far we’ve come in securing adult social care against cyber threats. In a sector that is vital yet historically under-protected, we’ve worked hard to raise awareness, build resilience, and ensure that care providers have the tools and knowledge to safeguard the people they support. There’s still more to do, but this recognition reinforces the progress we’ve made and the momentum we must continue.”
The Cyber Associates Network (CAN) is aimed at professionals with responsibility for or an interest in cyber security, including board members, IT leads, security professionals and cyber tech experts. Membership is free and open to NHS and social care bodies.