Guidance: use MS Teams and G Suite safely

Note:

• It is safe to join or initiate a meeting with any colleague on MS Teams. 
• It is also safe to join or initiate a meeting with any colleague on G Meet. 

COVID-19 has increased the need for digitalisation, as many will now be required for an extended period of time to work remotely, yet collaboratively. Read on to learn more about this new way of working.

New digital collaboration tools

We know colleagues from across Health and the Local Authority are beginning to work together ever more collaboratively. 

In response to the pandemic, the NHS have encouraged their users to adopt a new digital collaboration platform, Microsoft Teams (MS Teams), whereas Hackney Council already (and will continue to) use G Suite.

How do I know each platform is safe for me to use?

Due to these changes to our ways of working, we have been working hard to get the right Information Governance in place.

Information Governance teams have responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the correct policies and processes so that colleagues are confident that any information (whether that’s corporate, public, confidential or sensitive personal information) is discussed and stored effectively and securely.

What’s the difference between the platforms?

MS Teams is a secure platform to communicate and collaborate and is used by NHS colleagues. 

You can use it to meet (set up video and phone meetings), chat (instant messaging), call (direct audio or video calls) and collaborate (work from any location or device). It can be accessed via the desktop app, in a web browser or on any mobile device. Useful guidance on using MS Teams is available here. 

G Suite is a collection of secure collaboration and productivity tools used by Hackney Council. 

Similar to MS Teams, it can also be used for presentations and video meetings (Meet), instant messaging (Hangouts) and direct phone calls. Useful guidance on using Google Meet is available through this tutorial. 

Attend Anywhere and StarLeaf are among the tools we recommended for video consultations with patient(s). For more information about these platforms, please contact larissa.quinn@nhs.net 

Get in touch

If you have any other questions, please contact the respective data protection officers:

• NHS: david.waters3@nhs.net
• Hackney Council: nicholas.welburn@hackney.gov.uk