A major cyber attack which hit NHS systems is still affecting patients’ records, it has been reported. The August 4 attack affected the system used to refer patients for care, including ambulances being dispatched, out-of-hours appointment bookings and emergency prescriptions.
Three months later patients’ records are missing, safety has been compromised, and medication doses are at risk of being missed, i newspaper has reported. According to the publication, mental health patients’ records and safeguarding alerts have not been available in some trusts since the incident, when NHS software provider, Advanced, was hit by a ransomware attack.
Tens of thousands of patients could be impacted as a total of 12 NHS mental health trusts have been affected, it was reported. Advanced’s own hazard log spreadsheet allegedly said risks associated with disruption to its server include “medication doses missed”, “required number of carers not met”, “basic needs not met, such as nutrition and personal care”, and “health needs not met, such as wound care and physical support”.
