NHS England has been alerted to a significant cyber attack resulting in the unauthorized publication of data by a criminal group claiming affiliation with Synnovis. This breach has raised considerable concerns, prompting immediate collaboration with Synnovis, the National Cyber Security Centre, and other key partners to swiftly ascertain the content and origin of the leaked files. Of primary concern is whether this data pertains to NHS patients, underscoring the urgency of ongoing investigations.
During the aftermath of the attack, which occurred between June 10-16, hospitals such as King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust faced substantial disruptions. More than 1,100 scheduled operations and a significant number of outpatient appointments were postponed, amplifying the impact on patient care across London. The cyber incident, attributed to the Russian-based group Qilin, has triggered a regional incident response from NHS England London to mitigate further disruptions and coordinate support across affected healthcare providers.
The nature and scope of the data breach remain under intense scrutiny. It is estimated that tens of thousands of patients may have been affected by the compromise, although the exact extent of the data accessed by the hackers has yet to be fully determined. SynLab, a partner involved in healthcare data analysis, also faced a previous cyber attack in Italy, adding complexity to the current investigation. Authorities are urging affected individuals to remain vigilant and seek updates through official NHS communication channels as efforts continue to safeguard patient information and restore normalcy to healthcare services in the region.
Dr. Chris Streather, medical director for NHS London, expressed regret over the disruption caused by the cyber attack, emphasizing efforts to prioritize critical care needs amidst ongoing service adjustments. Mutual aid agreements between NHS labs have been pivotal in maintaining essential healthcare services, ensuring that patients receive necessary treatments and support despite the operational challenges posed by the cyber incident. Patients are encouraged to access healthcare services through established emergency and appointment protocols while NHS teams work diligently to mitigate the impact of this significant breach on patient care.
