Satellite connectivity for the NHS

This guidance summarises the technical options, capabilities and considerations for implementing low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity at NHS sites. The guidance focusses on suppliers and solutions that are commercially available, viable and deployable at time of writing.

The purpose of this guidance is to help NHS organisations understand the possibilities and benefits of implementing LEO satellite connectivity at their sites with fixed line or mobile connectivity challenges. This connectivity could optimise the use of digital technology and innovation to increase collaboration, efficiency, free up resource time and increase the resilience of their networks.

The content is 'supplier agnostic' which means we do not endorse any specific companies, innovations, or approaches. Any mention of, or link to, a specific supplier or product is not an endorsement from NHS England and is for illustrative purposes only.

For clarity, any recommendations made in this report are those of the report author and do not necessarily represent an endorsement, policy, or requirement from NHS England.

Any enquiries on the content of the report should be directed to the NHS England Networks and Connectivity team at [email protected].

Definitions

For clarity throughout this document, wherever we use the term 'satellite connectivity' the intended meaning is LEO satellite data connectivity. When other types of satellite connectivity, such as geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) satellite, are referenced this will be specified in the text.

Alternatives to LEO satellite connectivity for the NHS are introduced and discussed in Fixed wireless connectivity guidance.

Fast, stable and reliable connectivity is essential for the digital systems that underpin care delivery. Whether it is updating patient records or liaising over scan results with consultants, the bandwidth demands in the NHS continue to grow exponentially year on year. In making the shifts from analogue to digital and delivering care close to the patient in community settings, NHS staff are reliant on seamless, always-on connectivity. Getting access to this connectivity can be a particular challenge at remote or rural sites, or for staff on the move.

The use of satellite connectivity within the NHS has, in the past, been relatively uncommon. This was due to GEO satellite connectivity only being capable of high latency connectivity that could not support real-time applications. Overall connectivity demands were also smaller, with the available fixed line and mobile connectivity methods being sufficient to meet needs. This largely meant that the cost and limited use cases for the available satellite solutions outweighed the benefits.

However, in recent years the cost of LEO satellite connectivity has dropped significantly, and its coverage and capabilities in comparison to other connectivity options has dramatically improved. As a result, more NHS organisations are looking to use satellite connectivity as resilient, rapidly deployable backups or primary means of connectivity for some sites.

This document will outline and assess how suitable LEO satellite connectivity can be as a solution to connectivity challenges facing NHS organisations. We do not address individual use cases but describe common scenarios and the key technical, implementation and commercial considerations.

It will also:

• examine how it could be used to increase resilience and efficiency
• set out the capabilities of satellite connectivity to address NHS use cases
• provide practical considerations for the purchase and implementation of the service
• describe some of the commercial considerations and risks
• outline relevant future developments

If you are using, or considering using, satellite connectivity in an NHS setting, contact us at [email protected] as we would like to hear from you to learn more about your plans.