We worked with regional ADASS to survey councils and understand how contracted adult social care providers follow good data and cyber security practices.
The survey – conducted by the Association for Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) regional teams and Digital Care Hub’s Better Security, Better Care programme – explores what data protection requirements are included in local authority contracts, how aware local authorities are of any requirements, how they monitor compliance and what kind of additional support would be helpful.
Why this matters
The survey is a response to the increased cyber security risks faced by the public sector and the adult social care services they commission. ADASS regional teams have supported Digital Care Hub in designing and promoting this survey amongst local authorities in England.
The survey was launched in October 2024 during Cyber Security Awareness Month and was finalised for release in February 2025.
Key findings
55 local authorities responded to our survey and whilst results differ across regions there were some findings that stood out:
- 16% of local authorities reported having no formal cyber security or data protection requirements in their contracts with care providers, and 22% were unsure if any existed.
- Nearly half of respondents were unaware of the free support available to care providers from Better Security, Better Care. This included direct, tailored support from one of 28 Local Support Organisations in England.
- 60% of respondents wanted additional help monitoring compliance and improving data security among providers.
- Only 44% of respondents had regular communication with their Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), which signifies collaboration challenges.
