London hospitals collided with a serious crisis after a cyber attack, allegedly by a group called QILIN. The attack targeted Synnovis, a provider of critical pathologist diagnostic services. This has led to a malfunction in the systems, affecting the processing of blood tests and delivery of research results, impacting operations and blood transfusion procedures.
The hospitals have now turned to medical students for assistance. In a leaked message to the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust hospitals, interns were asked to volunteer for 10-12 hour shifts to help. A representative from NHS London stated that staff are working tirelessly to minimize disruptions in patient care.
Currently, Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College, and Evelina London children’s hospital are facing operational challenges. Reports suggest that surgical and transplantation departments at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, as well as primary health care services, have also been affected. Staff in these departments are resorting to manual methods for blood transfusions.
The message to interns revealed that they will serve as “couriers” to deliver blood samples. The letter emphasized the urgent need for volunteers to support pathologist services, stating that the incident’s impact is extensive across various hospital and social services in the region.
Students expressed the importance of their assistance in this critical situation, seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to patient care. Professor Jan Abbs, the chief executive director of Guy’s and Thomas’ Trust, acknowledged the challenges faced, including difficult conversations with patients whose appointments had to be canceled. The disruptions are expected to last for weeks, with coordination efforts led by NHS England.
Assessments are currently underway to determine the extent of the damage caused by the cyber attack on hospitals and primary health care services.