Friday, October 18, 2024

NHS Trusts forced to cancel over 6,000 appointments following Qilin cyber attack

The Qilin ransomware attack on Synnovis has continued to impact Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in central London, leading to the cancellation of over a thousand appointments and hundreds of medical procedures each week for more than a month.

Despite the ongoing disruption, there are signs of progress in the recovery efforts. NHS London medical director, Chris Streather, noted a reduction in the number of postponed appointments and procedures compared to the initial weeks following the attack. Efforts are being made to minimize the impact on patient care, especially in south-east London.

While pathology services in the region are currently operating at 54% capacity, blood tests have been particularly affected. The health service is prioritizing essential referrals for blood sciences, while a near-normal service is maintained for histology and cervical smears.

The investigation at Synnovis is still ongoing following the major data leak. The organization is gradually restoring its IT systems based on clinical priority, with support from parent company Synlab UK and Ireland. Despite the challenges, efforts are being made to ensure a full recovery and minimize the impact on patients and healthcare services.

CEO Mark Dollar expressed regret for the disruption caused by the incident and pledged to keep stakeholders informed of progress in the investigation and recovery process.