Social Care Wales ISO 27001 Audit | Apprilis Information Security & ISMS Improvement

Health & Social Care

Securing social care data with ISO 27001 excellence

NHS SCW – Data Centre Migration

Social Care Wales is the national regulator responsible for the oversight of registered social care professionals. The organisation operates across multiple regional offices located within UK Government hub sites and maintains an internationally certified Information Security Management System (ISMS) aligned to ISO/IEC 27001. Given the sensitivity of its work, robust information security, data protection, privacy, and technical system management are essential.

In April 2024, following a competitive open-market tender, Apprilis was appointed to deliver ISMS Internal Audit Services, providing assurance and advisory capability to strengthen the organisation’s security posture.

Challenge

Although the ISMS had been certified for several years, operational risks had begun to impact compliance and posed potential risks to ongoing certification. At the same time, the organisation was undergoing significant change, which required:

Independent validation of ISMS maturity.
Strengthening of policies, risk processes, and audit functions.
Preparations for transition from ISO/IEC 27001:2013 to the 2022 standard.

The customer sought a trusted partner to bring rigour, independence, and proven expertise in ISMS auditing and advisory services.

Our Approach

Apprilis mobilised quickly, balancing on-site and remote delivery as the project launched at the tail end of the COVID-19 lockdown. We initiated the engagement with a detailed ISMS gap analysis, which informed a comprehensive programme of work including:

Policy reviews supported by a centralised audit dashboard.
Adaptation of the Statement of Applicability to align with organisational priorities.
Review and refinement of the ISMS risk assessment process.
Development of a rolling internal audit timetable across a twelve-month cycle.
Creation of a structured Change Control Procedure.
Advisory and project management support for the upcoming ISO/IEC 27001:2022 transition.

Impact

Significant reduction in non-conformance incidents, both major and minor, alongside fewer “Opportunities for Improvement” raised.
Increased organisational confidence in ISMS maturity, with tangible improvements in policy structure and procedural clarity.
Growth of the ISMS team and measurable uplift in awareness, competence, and adoption across the organisation.
Positioned the regulator for a smooth, planned transition to the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard ahead of the August 2025 deadline.

Key Outcomes

Strengthened ISMS maturity and reduced compliance risk.
Clear roadmap for ISO 27001:2022 transition.
Increased organisational awareness of the strategic value of ISMS.
A trusted partnership model delivering assurance, guidance, and confidence.

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