Melanoma Focus

Cambridge-based, Melanoma Focus is a national charity providing research-based information to increase awareness and knowledge about melanoma.

It acts on behalf of scientists, clinicians, nursing professionals, patients and carers.

Melanoma Focus

Client since

August 2016

The brief

There are two parts to the project, one “data” and one “voice”:

  • Firstly, emails had two domain names and they were using an old, not particularly secure email platform.  They wanted to consolidate the domain names into one and use a modern, secure, flexible mobile platform. They also needed file storage in a secure GDPR compliant manner.
  • Secondly, they were using an office-based telephone number and as they were going to vacate their offices in favour of home/mobile working due to Covid they needed to change this to allow for the new set up.

Key concern

  • Mobile working and flexibility
  • Influence of Covid
  • Voice and data convergence

Our IT strategy

  • The integration of data and voice in a single, unified network.

Our IT solution

  • Migration of systems and mailboxes to Microsoft 365
  • Changing of phone system over from “on premises” to Teams Voice
  • In both cases we prepared in advance and changed over at a specific time from the old to the new system to ensure the transition was done seamlessly with no downtime for the client.

Our current role

  • Ongoing support as necessary. Requirements are now likely to be significantly less as the platforms are more reliable and robust. This ultimately leads to decreasing costs for our client.
  • Ongoing supply of equipment such as laptops.

Our IT requirements have evolved over the years as the charity has grown. When we set up a Melanoma Helpline in 2017, Heron IT sourced and set up all the computers ensuring that they were fully secure and GDPR compliant for client confidentiality. Earlier this year, we made the move away from a location-based phone system to Microsoft Voice. This was a necessary solution to an increased number of hours working from home due to Covid but also negated the use of our personal mobiles which we had been using when not in the office. Heron IT continues to provide IT support when needed and we are very grateful to the team as a whole.

Michelle Bridge, Melanoma Focus

Share this…