When a hospital's systems go down, it isn't just data that's at risk – it's patient care itself. Connected medical devices, electronic health records and telemedicine have made European healthcare faster and more efficient, but they've also turned hospitals and clinics into one of the sector's most attractive targets for cyberattacks.

This course by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy equips healthcare and IT professionals to close that gap: applying GDPR and the NIS Directive to patient data and clinical systems, securing the infrastructure that keeps care running, and building the incident response and monitoring practices that keep both patients and institutions protected.

Who Should Attend?

• Information security officers and IT professionals working in hospitals and healthcare organisations.
• Healthcare managers and leaders responsible for implementing cybersecurity policy.
• Legal consultants and compliance officers specialising in healthcare data protection.
• Academics, students and regulators interested in healthcare cybersecurity.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Apply GDPR and the NIS Directive to patient data and healthcare networks.
• Secure critical healthcare systems, from Electronic Health Records to connected medical devices.
• Build and run emergency response plans for healthcare-specific cybersecurity incidents.
• Monitor risk and compliance on an ongoing basis within healthcare institutions.
• Evaluate how emerging technology and public-private partnerships are shaping the future of healthcare cybersecurity.

• Module 1: Why Healthcare Became a Prime Cyber Target
  • The growing dependence of European healthcare on digital systems, and what that means for patient trust.
  • The cybersecurity threats facing healthcare systems and their impact on care quality.
  • How European regulation compares with international information-security standards for healthcare.
• Module 2: The Legal Backbone: GDPR, NIS Directive and Patient Rights
  • How GDPR applies specifically to health data, and the patient rights it creates.
  • Healthcare institutions' responsibilities in ensuring GDPR compliance.
  • Legal and practical challenges in maintaining the privacy and security of sensitive health data.
• Module 3: Compliance in Practice Across Healthcare Institutions
  • Strategies for aligning day-to-day healthcare operations with data protection law.
  • Techniques for conducting regular risk assessments and adjusting policy accordingly.
  • Aligning healthcare cybersecurity efforts with national and international standards.
• Module 4: Securing the Network: From EHR to the NIS Directive
  • Securing healthcare networks and protecting systems such as Electronic Health Records (EHR).
  • Key elements of the NIS Directive that apply specifically to healthcare organisations.
  • Institutional responsibilities for compliance under the NIS Directive.
• Module 5: Protecting Critical Systems and Connected Devices
  • Securing critical systems such as telemedicine platforms and connected medical devices.
  • Using firewalls, intrusion detection systems and encryption to protect healthcare infrastructure.
  • Integrating cybersecurity into healthcare systems through collaboration between IT and clinical teams.
• Module 6: When Things Go Wrong: Incident Management and Emergency Planning
  • Responding to cybersecurity incidents and mitigating data breaches in healthcare settings.
  • Building and testing emergency response plans specific to healthcare data security.
  • Continuous monitoring, regular audits and vulnerability testing to catch issues early.
• Module 7: Innovation, Partnership and What's Next for Healthcare Cybersecurity
  • How AI, blockchain and IoT are changing healthcare cybersecurity practice.
  • The role of public-private partnerships in strengthening healthcare security.
  • How European cybersecurity legislation for healthcare is likely to evolve.