Pause carousel
Play carousel
Neil Gray MSP toured the cyberQuarter and CCoE to meet teams at the heart of NHS Scotland’s cybersecurity coordination
The Abertay cyberQuarter welcomed Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in the Scottish Government, on Thursday 7 August as part of a visit to NHS National Services Scotland’s Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCoE).
The visit was an opportunity to meet the operations and teams at the heart of NHS Scotland’s national cyber security operations. Abertay has developed a strategic partnership with the CCoE as part of its wider cyberQuarter role as a hub for bringing together partnerships and developing innovative cybersecurity solutions.
During the tour, the Cabinet Secretary gained insights into the CCoE’s Security Operations Centre (SOC), where he observed the infrastructure behind NHS Scotland’s 24/7 cybersecurity monitoring, as well as the centre's wider critical functions. He also took time to hear more about a strategic roadmap that will continue to support the CCoE’s mission to strengthen and expand NHS Scotland’s ability to protect patients, staff, and sensitive data from cyber threats, while minimising the impact of such attacks on health and care services.
NHS NSS was announced as the first tenant of the cyberQuarter in 2021, a move that created 30 new jobs in Dundee and underscored the city’s growing prominence as a cybersecurity hub.
Mary Morgan, Chief Executive, NHS National Services Scotland said:
The rapid progress of the CCoE in recent years is the result of strategic investment—both financially and through strong partnerships. This momentum has empowered NHS National Services Scotland to scale the service at pace in response to the growing cyber threat landscape.
Scott Barnett, Chief Information Security Officer, NHS National Services Scotland, added:
Our ability to stay ahead—through innovation, intelligence sharing, and sector-wide collaboration—has been significantly strengthened by the trusted relationships fostered by strong partnership working with the Abertay cyberQuarter and the wider cyber security community.
The Abertay cyberQuarter officially opened its doors in 2022, backed by a significant investment of £5.7 million from the UK Government and £6 million from the Scottish Government as part of the Tay Cities Deal. Since then, the facility has attracted more than a dozen partners, including the NHS Scotland Cyber Centre of Excellence, NCRAtleos, and ScotlandIS.
Professor Lynne Coventry, Director of the Abertay cyberQuarter, said:
Having the CCoE based in the cyberQuarter for the past few years has been a highly valuable and productive and our partnership continues to grow stronger. This close collaboration allows us to share the latest research and innovative solutions from the univeristy, while also providing NHS Scotland with valuable access to our talented students and graduates. Together, we are building an ecosystem that benefits both organisations and enhances the cybersecurity resilience of our health services.
The centre has hosted numerous conferences, industry workshops, and educational sessions, strengthening ties between academia, industry, and public health. These initiatives aim to develop a skilled workforce and enhance the cyber resilience of both local communities and national health services.
About the Tay Cities Region Deal
The Tay Cities Region Deal is a partnership between local, Scottish and UK governments and the private, academic and voluntary sectors which seeks to create a smarter and fairer Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perth & Kinross under the headings Inclusive Tay; Innovative Tay; International Tay; Connected Tay and An Empowered Tay.
The Scottish Government and UK Government will each invest up to £150 million in the Tay Cities Region Deal over 10 years, subject to final approval of robust business cases.
As of 30 September 2024, over £231 million has been approved by Governments and the Partnership for investment and over 2,541 jobs have been created.
This central investment from both Governments has the potential to leverage £400 million of investment over 15 years, of which more than £180 million has already been secured by Projects.
Full and further information on the progress the Deal has made to date on securing investment and jobs, can be found within the Annual Performance Report located on the Tay Cities Region Deal website - Publications | Tay Cities Deal.
