BrisDoc's Digital Transformation with iboss Zero Trust SASE
See how BrisDoc, an employee-owned social enterprise providing urgent and primary care to over one million patients across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, replaced legacy VPN with iboss Zero Trust SASE to enable secure hybrid working for clinicians and staff.
BrisDoc Case Study
Download the complete case study to learn how BrisDoc replaced legacy VPN with iboss Zero Trust SASE to enable secure hybrid working for clinicians and retire all legacy infrastructure.
Key Statistics
Overview
BrisDoc is an employee-owned social enterprise providing urgent and primary care to over one million patients across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire: 24/7, 365 days a year. From GP practices and urgent care to Bristol's homeless health service, BrisDoc delivers high-quality, community-focused healthcare.
For over a decade, BrisDoc and Soda IT Secure (their long-term Managed Service Provider) have worked side by side to ensure technology strengthens the delivery of vital healthcare services. When legacy VPN technology became a barrier to clinical productivity and modern hybrid working, BrisDoc turned to iboss for a transformative solution.
BrisDoc's Challenge
BrisDoc faced a growing number of operational challenges due to the security limitations and performance issues associated with the use of traditional VPN technology. One of the key challenges was the inability of their clinical teams — who often need to work from cars, GP surgeries, hospitals, or while travelling — to efficiently and securely access next generation cloud-based applications.
When the ability to provide full desktop functionality in vehicles became critical, BrisDoc knew it was time for a new approach. Clinicians needed to work efficiently and effectively on the road, with secure access to all necessary tools. The challenge wasn’t just about fixing connectivity — it was about enabling hybrid working, modernising infrastructure, and ultimately delivering better care for patients.
As Deb Lowndes, Service and Programme Director at BrisDoc, explained: “We weren’t able to open up access to the services we needed or shift key functionality into cars as well as from other remote or onsite locations. It was holding us back from making better use of our workforce.” It also meant that critical clinical applications weren’t being fully utilised.
BrisDoc's iboss Solution
Following workshops and on-site testing, the need for a complete Secure Service Edge solution was identified. Soda IT Secure recommended iboss as a best-fit replacement for BrisDoc’s legacy VPN. iboss not only addressed the immediate access and security challenges but also offered the ability to consolidate multiple security tools into a single, unified platform.
A proof-of-value exercise was scoped with clearly defined success criteria, allowing BrisDoc to validate measurable performance improvements and assess the benefits of simplified, compliant security controls. The results gave BrisDoc confidence that iboss could fully meet their operational and security requirements.
The iboss Zero Trust SASE platform provides high-performance, direct connectivity to all business-critical applications and workloads, including those accessed via the HSCN. This delivered an immediate improvement in user experience without the limitations of traditional VPNs.
With support from Soda IT Secure, BrisDoc deployed iboss seamlessly, integrating it into their hybrid cloud environment. By integrating iboss into a unified digital ecosystem, productivity gains were delivered, operational overheads reduced, and cost efficiencies unlocked across BrisDoc’s IT environment.
The proof of concept gave us confidence and assurance. What started out as a practical choice has actually become very strategic. With iboss we can enable full desktop access in cars, which makes for better clinicians and ultimately better care — it’s also given us a much better experience for hybrid workers.
Key Results for BrisDoc
- Better care delivery: A high-performance, work-anywhere user experience has enabled BrisDoc to optimise workforce use, boost morale, reduce service disruption, and support the expansion of patient care services
- Improved hybrid working: iboss supported a seamless cloud transition and consistent user experience for remote and on-site staff, enabling agile working and the seamless adoption of critical clinical applications
- Future-ready cyber security: iboss now sits at the heart of BrisDoc’s move to a private access cloud virtual server and direct connectivity infrastructure, enabling the retirement of all legacy on-site server infrastructure and HSCN connectivity without disruption
- Continuous compliance: The replacement of legacy VPN technology and the introduction of iboss has significantly simplified the effort required for BrisDoc to continuously achieve and evidence regulatory compliance (GDPR, CE, CE+, DSPT and CAF)
- Cost efficiency: Significant cost savings and a measurable productivity boost achieved by consolidating multiple security tools into a single platform
Highlights
- Replaced legacy VPN with iboss Zero Trust SASE platform for high-performance, secure access from any location
- Enabled full desktop functionality for clinicians working from vehicles, GP surgeries, and hospitals
- Retired all legacy on-site server infrastructure and HSCN connectivity without service disruption
- Simplified regulatory compliance across GDPR, CE, CE+, DSPT and CAF frameworks
- Consolidated multiple security tools into a single unified platform, reducing operational overhead
- Proof-of-value exercise with defined success criteria validated measurable performance improvements
The relationship we have with the Soda IT Secure team is unique, they’re like an extension of our team. They really listen and understand our business, and I know they’ve got our back.
The Future
iboss now sits at the heart of BrisDoc’s move to a private access cloud virtual server and direct connectivity infrastructure. It provides a highly resilient VPN replacement built on a Zero Trust SASE platform. This has enabled BrisDoc to retire all legacy on-site server infrastructure and HSCN connectivity without disruption to service delivery.
By combining iboss technology with Soda IT Secure’s expertise, BrisDoc has been able to move closer to its vision of “one digital BrisDoc” — a modern, resilient, and secure organisation built for the future of healthcare.