This SSL Server Certificate service, which is exclusive to the NHS, was designed in conjunction with the NHS IA.

 Most Digital Certificate services assume that every organisation is the same and that it can provide any type of evidence it may require.  Unfortunately this does not apply to most public bodies.  Furthermore, Certificate suppliers normally want payment before issuing a Certificate, which means using a credit card.  Again, NHS organisations don’t usually have credit cards for this type of purchase.

 To overcome these problems a service was built that enables any organisation registered with the NHS Address Registration Service to apply for a certificate using its NHS Organisation Code (this simplifies the authentication process) and the system also allows a Certificate to be supplied with a purchase order.  As a result, the process of acquiring a Certificate is simpler and a lot faster.  Applications are usually fulfilled the same or next working day. 

This Trustis service is possible because we build every PKI to order and are able to optimise it for its community of users. In this case we have been able to utilise information unique to the NHS to make getting a certificate a lot simpler.  Applications are processed by the NHS, and Trustis deals with the technical fulfillment.   

The service operates using Certificate Factory, a tScheme-approved and BS7799-accredited certificate manufacturing service run from the company’s high-security Trust Service Centre.  

One, two and three-year certificates and wildcard certificates are available.

 

Press Release

The British Journal of Healthcare Computing and Information Management report on the digital certificate service provided by Trustis for the National Health Service...click here for details.