What's the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials is a verified self-assessment against five security controls. Cyber Essentials Plus tests the same controls with a hands-on technical audit by a licensed assessor. You must hold Cyber Essentials before doing Plus.

Do you do the work, or just assess us?

We do the work. Foresight runs the gap analysis, carries out hands-on remediation, prepares the evidence and liaises with the assessor, so you pass first time rather than paying to re-sit a failed audit.

How much does Cyber Essentials cost?

The IASME assessment fee is tiered by size from around £320 + VAT and includes £25,000 cyber liability insurance for eligible UK businesses. Cyber Essentials Plus is scoped to your estate, typically from around £1,380 + VAT.

Healthcare · Primary Care

AI for GP Practices: where can gp practices use AI safely?

AI can save your team real hours — here’s where it genuinely helps gp practices, where to be careful, and how to use it safely.

Book an AI Readiness Audit Call 0161 738 1399

Why Foresight

Cyber Essentials Plus certified
Microsoft CSP & Copilot specialists
Greater Manchester, since 2006
Honest advice — not licence-selling

Quick answer

GP practices can use AI for non-clinical admin — drafting letters, summarising documents, updating policies, rotas and answering common non-clinical patient queries — freeing staff for patient care. Patient and clinical data must stay within approved clinical systems and out of public AI tools, governed by NHS DSPT and information governance. Clinical decisions always stay with clinicians.

Where AI helps

Practical uses for gp practices

Area	Where AI fits
Letters & admin	Drafting and summarising — Copilot
Policies & reports	Drafting and updating — Copilot
Non-clinical queries	Common questions — an agent
Patient & clinical records	Approved systems only — never public AI

Doing it safely

Governance first

Patient and clinical data must stay within approved NHS/clinical systems and out of public AI tools; NHS DSPT applies. Before rolling anything out, tidy permissions, put a simple AI usage policy in place, keep sensitive data out of public tools, and keep a human in the loop — all part of our AI Adoption service. See also NHS Data Security & Protection Toolkit.

Free downloads

Start today with our templates

The same free, ready-to-use templates we use in our audits:

“Day in the Life” AI template

Find exactly where AI will save your team time.

Download →

AI Usage Policy template

A short, practical AI policy to keep your data safe.

Download →

FAQs

Common questions

Can GP practices use AI?

Yes — for non-clinical admin: letters, summaries, policies, rotas and common non-clinical queries. It frees staff for patient care.

Is AI safe for patient data?

Patient and clinical data must stay within approved NHS/clinical systems — never public AI tools. NHS DSPT and information governance apply.

Can AI help with clinical notes?

Only through approved, assured clinical tools — not general-purpose public AI. Clinical decisions always stay with clinicians.

Will AI replace GPs or practice staff?

No — it removes administrative load so clinicians and staff can focus on patients.

Put AI to work — safely

Start with a fixed-fee AI Readiness Audit and get a clear, honest plan — and the licences you actually need.

See AI Adoption as a Service Call 0161 738 1399