Troubleshooting Guide

If you are experiencing difficulties accessing the SORT online tool from an NHS device or network, this may be due to security measures and firewall restrictions implemented by your NHS organisation. The NHS has strict security policies in place that often block or restrict access to external web applications.

Step 1: Verify the Issue

Test from a non-NHS device:

1. Try logging into the SORT tool from a personal device (e.g., home computer, mobile phone) or a private browser session using your NHS login credentials.
2. If login works successfully on the non-NHS device, proceed to test on your NHS machine.
3. If you experience issues on your NHS machine but not on your personal device, this confirms the issue is related to your NHS organisation's network restrictions.

Step 2: Contact NHS IT Support

If the tool works on a non-NHS device but not on your NHS machine, you will need to log a support ticket with your local NHS organisation's IT department.

When raising the ticket, explain that you need access to the SORT online tool for research purposes and that the issue appears to be caused by network restrictions or firewall rules.

Step 3: Requesting Firewall Exemptions

Your NHS IT department will need to troubleshoot the connectivity issue. If the problem is confirmed to be firewall-related, your IT team will need to go through an NHS risk assessment process before making any firewall changes.

When contacting your NHS IT support, provide the following information:

• The URL of the SORT tool that you're trying to access
• The purpose: Research tool for systematic reviews
• The specific error messages or behaviour you're experiencing
• Confirmation that the tool works from non-NHS networks

Sample ticket description:

"I am conducting research using the SORT online tool https://app.sort-online.org/. The tool works successfully when accessed from my personal device but fails to connect from my NHS workstation. This appears to be a firewall or network restriction issue. Could you please investigate and, if necessary, request a firewall exemption through the appropriate risk assessment process? This tool is essential for our research project."

Step 4: If Firewall Changes Cannot Be Made

In some cases, your NHS organisation may not be able or willing to modify firewall rules, even after a risk assessment. This decision is typically based on local security policies and risk management frameworks.

If this occurs, consider the following workarounds:

• Use a non-NHS device: Access the SORT tool from a personal computer or device when working remotely or outside of the NHS network.
• Mobile access: Use your mobile phone with cellular data (not NHS Wi-Fi) to access the tool.
• Scheduled access times: Dedicate specific times to work on the SORT tool from a non-NHS device.
• Discuss with your research team: This may impact your research timeline and workflow. Inform your research supervisor or team lead about the access limitations so alternative arrangements can be made.

Understanding the Process

NHS organisations implement strict security measures to protect sensitive patient data and comply with information governance requirements. While these measures are essential for security, they can sometimes restrict access to legitimate research tools.

The process of requesting firewall exemptions typically involves:

• Security risk assessment by the NHS IT security team
• Review by information governance officers
• Approval from relevant management or security committees
• Implementation and testing by network administrators

This process can take several days to weeks, depending on your organisation's procedures.

If you continue to experience issues after following these steps, or if you have questions about using the SORT tool, please contact the SORT support team.

SORT Online Support Team
 sort-online-support-group@sheffield.ac.uk

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