Procedures cancelled after cyber attack affects major London hospitals

UK

A number of procedures have been cancelled or redirected to other NHS providers after a cyber attack affected major hospitals in the capital.

King’s College Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ (including the Royal Brompton and the Evelina London Children’s Hospital) and primary care services were hit by the “major IT incident” involving pathology partner Synnovis, letters sent to NHS staff said.

Trusts reported the incident was having a “major impact” on the delivery of services, with blood transfusions particularly affected.

A spokesman for King’s College Hospital in London confirmed it was affected.

The incident is thought to have occurred on Monday, meaning some departments could not connect to their main server.

Several senior sources have told the Health Service Journal (HSJ) the system has been the victim of a ransomware attack.

One said gaining access to pathology results could take “weeks, not days”.

There are suggestions urgent and emergency care at the hospitals will be affected as they may not be able to access quick-turnaround blood test results.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

More from UK

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Articles You May Like

Government calls on industry to introduce voluntary levy on stadium and arena tickets to support grassroots venues
What it’s like to fight (and lose) against UFC star Jon Jones
The week in tennis: Gauff wins WTA Finals title, while underdogs rule in last ATP events
Mitochondria Divide Roles for Energy and Molecular Synthesis Under Low-Nutrient Conditions, Reveals New Study
NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Refutes Health Concerns, Shares Fitness Routine from Space