More than 50 NHS trusts have installed single sign-on software on top of systems provided by the National Programme for IT (NPfIT), to improve security and speed up access to applications.

The trusts have funded the systems from internal budgets, after concerns that clinicians were becoming agitated at having to log in and out of various NHS applications.

A single sign-on system will help persuade medical staff that IT can help rather than hinder them, said Dianne Nixon, head of IT programme management at Addenbrooke’s hospital. “It helps us show clinicians that IT is beneficial and helps them do their jobs,” she said.

Addenbrooke’s has cut the number of log-ins on its system, used by 5,000 staff, from 29 down to nine.

Nixon says although the NPfIT provides a single sign-on service to all national applications such as Choose and Book, it doesn’t cover local hospital systems ­ clinicians often need to switch quickly between the two.

“We are absolutely supportive of the national programme, but it doesn’t deliver what we want at the moment,” she said.

IT managers in other trusts were less positive ­ one told Computing that single sign-on raised important security issues.

“The National Programme has missed a trick here. If staff have to remember multiple passwords they will write them down or leave themselves logged in,” he said. “The importance of patient confidentiality to us meant we had to put this system in.”

Michael Moore, IT manager at Papworth NHS Trust, said that as well as addressing concerns over the security of patient records, the single sign-on system helps solve a business continuity issue.

“The helpdesk was being continually bombarded,” he said. “We weren’t expecting to have to put a system over the top but staff seem glad that we have.”

Papworth’s Imprivata single sign-on appliance comes from supplier Enline.

“We have not indicated that using smartcards for single sign-on is a requirement, although we believe it is desirable, and many organisations believe that this will improve ownership and data security,” said a spokeswoman for NHS Connecting for Health.