Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is known for its innovation in healthcare delivery. Its new state-of-the-art Health and Care Academy was created to support advanced clinical simulation, staff training, and events. To ensure a secure, high-performance digital foundation, the Trust partnered with Forfusion to implement a modern network solution.

The Health and Care Academy needed a robust, hospital-grade network - secure, scalable, and ready from day one. Key priorities included deploying enterprise-grade Wi-Fi and integrating Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) for secure access and network segmentation, a first for the trust.

Additional challenges involved strict compliance requirements, complex legacy system integration, and the need for uninterrupted operations during implementation.

Our healthcare sector experience and Cisco partner status enabled us to deliver an infrastructure tailored to the Academy’s needs, working closely with the Trust's IT teams.

“We chose Forfusion for a few different reasons... they have a very high-calibre engineering skillset, and they’re local, so they can react quickly. That’s key when a building like this goes live from day one with all features fully functional.” - Mark Holland, Deputy Director of Infrastructure, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

The solution included:

• Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), which enhanced network security and streamlined access control, identity management, and segmentation.
• Cisco Catalyst Switching for relaible connectivity.
• Advanced Wi-Fi to support high-density usage.
• Expert guidance on ISE deployment models and integration strategies.

The project went live smoothly with no disruption to users. The new infrastructure provides:

• Reliable, secure connectivity across all areas.
• Segmented networks to protect data and manage access.
• Greater visibility and compliance.
• A scalable foundation for future digital growth across the Trust.

“They truly understand us as a healthcare sector, a network team, and a as a company. That insight makes all the difference.”

Mathew Burns, Operation Infrastructure Manager, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Whether you’re building a new facility, modernising your existing infrastructure, or planning your digital transformation roadmap, the right partner is critical.

Talk to our team to discover how Forfusion can help you build a secure, scalable, and future-proof network.