Cyber Associates Network

The Cyber Associates Network (CAN) is available to NHS and social care organisations.

CAN members benefit from enhanced knowledge-sharing, professional development and networking with peers in health and care.

Members also have the chance to influence national cyber security across the system by supporting NHS England's Cyber Operations in developing new products, services, policies and strategies.

Membership benefits outweigh your level of commitment, but we do expect members to:

• commit to sharing good practice and lessons-learned across the network, both regionally and nationally
• support the development of cyber security across the system by acting as our critical friend, through testing, offering ideas and providing relevant feedback
• encourage advocacy, and build a robust network of the right contacts, ready to work collaboratively in any future cyber security crisis
• encourage personal development and formal qualifications to build a highly-skilled cyber workforce

Full CAN membership is open to employees from the following organisations: 

• all NHS Trust types
• Commissioning Support Units (CSUs) 
• Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) 
• Arms-Length Bodies (ALBs)
• community interest companies/social enterprises (wholly owned by NHS organisations)
• clinical networks and associated health science networks
• local authorities
• government departments
• ICT shared services
• health informatics services
• devolved administrations (NHS Wales, NHS Scotland, NHS Northern Ireland)
• charities and other third-sector organisations supporting or providing health and care services 
• not-for-profit organisations providing audit and assurance services to NHS institutions 
• independent providers designated as operators of essential services under the NIS Regulations 2018 

Employees from the following types of organisations are also invited to apply for CAN membership. However, access for these organisations will be limited to the Threat Intelligence section of the CAN, and is subject to review and approval by our Threat Intelligence team:

• 3rd party suppliers of products and services to the NHS
• independent providers which are not designated as operators of essential services under the NIS Regulations 2018

If you have other colleagues who may be interested in joining the Cyber Associates Network, send the following details to [email protected]: 

• name
• organisation and full postal address
• job title
• contact number
• where you heard about the CAN   

We also have additional sub-groups for the Cyber Executives Network and Women in Cyber, to join these groups you first need to register as a member of the Cyber Associates Network.