Over the coming months before Xmas 2010 NHS staff will be told of changes to the policy on mobile device usage with NHSMail, the NHS private email service based on Microsoft Exchange. The changes are designed to improve the security of the service and to reduce the risk of data loss as a result of mobile devices being lost or stolen.
Key amongst these changes is a reduction in the range of mobile devices that will continue to work with the service. When the policy is fully deployed only devices that fully support Exchange encryption will be able to connect to the service. The supported hardware after December will be Apple iPhone ( 3GS and 4 ), Apple iPad, Windows Mobile 6 and higher, Blackberry with Notifysync and certain Nokia E series mobiles. Noticeable by their absence are any Google Android based devices as the platform does not support the encryption required by the service.
Latest update on this is that there is apparently now a client application for Android that conforms with encryption policy. One of guys I work with is going to buy it for his G1 and test.
Also the contentious policy decision about only synching last 3 days of email has now ( thankfully ) been removed and it will again allow a full 30 days email to sync.
Any further updates on NHS Mail blocking Android phones from December? I want to upgrade to an HTC Desire or Samsung Galaxy S on Orange, which I can do for buttons AND get a £15 pcm contract, while the iPhone is £35 pcm – about £500 extra over the 24 month contract. Thanks, Gavin
I believe there is a third party app for Android that is now supported on NHSMail. Not tried it myself as I don't have an Android phone but one of guys at Work is going to try it. I will find out how he gets on and post an update here when I know more.
Cheers.
does anyone have a copy of the new nhs mail mobile policy so I can see what changes are to be implimented to mobile phone users wanting to access nhs mail?
Login to NHSmail web view and go to the Tools menu then select Guidance tab on the left hand menu. Click on Mobile devices, applications… and you will see a heading called "New mobile encryption policy to be implemented early 2011". Below this is a link to download the policy in PDF. The PDF explains the new restrictions that will be introduced.
Cheers
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