
Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) 2025/2026 CAF

From Policy to Practice: Penetration Testing for ISO 27001

Complete 2025/26 DSPT without audit stress. Evidence based results, not checklist.
Any organisation handling NHS patient data must complete the DSPT annually and demonstrate real cyber resilience, not just tick-box compliance. Dionach helps healthcare and digital health providers meet these requirements with clarity and confidence.
The Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) is an online self-assessment tool that allows organisations to measure their performance against the National Data Guardian’s 10 data security standards. DSPT compliance is essential for healthcare and care organisations to meet NHS data security standards, maintain contract eligibility, and protect sensitive patient information. The DSPT framework, aligned with the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF), requires annual assessments and in many cases, independent validation.
The Data Security Assessment that Dionach delivers on behalf of NHS Digital provides external assurance for up to 15 requirements of the DSPT.
The Cyber Risk Framework Workshop that Dionach delivers on behalf of NHS Digital provides external assurance for up to 6 requirements of the DSPT.
Most DSPT submissions don’t fail because organisations ignore security. They fail because:
Evidence doesn’t meet reviewer expectations
Internal security gaps are discovered too late
CAF-aligned controls are assumed, not validated
DSPT is no longer a tick‑box exercise. It requires demonstrable cyber resilience.
We help healthcare organisations identify and fix issues before submission not after rejection.
Testing web applications to provide external evidence that all web applications are protected and not susceptible to common security vulnerabilities, such as described in the top ten Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) vulnerabilities.
Consultancy with a member of our assurance team to collate evidence for the DSPT requirements.
Auditing of the DSPT to ensure that all requirements have been met.
Guidance on NHS Digital funded services that can assist NHS Organisations in meeting the requirements of the DSPT.
The new DSPT for 2025/2026 is now more closely aligned to the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). This means more outcome-based auditing, focused on how well organisations achieve the intended security and governance goals. Organisations are required to have an independent audit assessment to the agreed CAF-aligned DSPT audit framework.…
“Dionach helped us approach DSPT with confidence rather than uncertainty. Their team clearly explained where we stood, identified genuine gaps, and provided practical guidance aligned with NHS expectations. The process was straightforward, evidence-led, and removed a lot of the stress around submission.”
We deliver DSPT support aligned to NHS expectations, helping you submit clear, defensible evidence with confidence.
Our DSPT approach is driven by real security assurance, not generic compliance checklists.
We work alongside your teams with no impact on live systems or care delivery.
We help you produce practical, review ready evidence that stands up to NHS scrutiny.
Share a few details and our healthcare security specialists will contact you to discuss your DSPT position and next steps, with no obligation.


