HOSPITALS are being forced to cancel major surgeries and blood transfusions after a cyber attack. A "critical incident" has been declared, with massive NHS hospitals and their patients impacted. There are reports patients in London are being told they may have to wait weeks for appointments - including blood transfusions.
London's Guy's, St Thomas' and King's College Hospitals are said to have been impacted. Royal Brompton and Harefield also reportedly had to cancel transplant surgeries. Contracted IT firm Synnovis, which serves NHS pathology labs, confirmed in an email to staff that it had been hit.
It apologised for the disruptions caused and said it was quickly working to find a solution. The IT firm did however say it was unsure of all the details of the attack, or how long it would impact patients. The Mirror reported the email read: "This is having a major impact on the delivery of our services, with blood transfusions being particularly affected.
"Some activity has already been cancelled or redirected to other providers at short notice as we prioritise the clinical work that we are able to safely carry out." The email continued: "I recognise how upsetting this is for patients and families whose care has been affected, and how difficult and frustrating this is for you all. I am very sorry for the disruption this is causing.
"An incident response structure has been stood up, with colleagues from across the Trust meeting regularly to assess the situation and put contingen.
