Pleas from services crippled by cyber attack rejected due to lack of capacity

London pathology providers are “running too hot” to give enough support the large system hit by a cyber attack last week, HSJ has been told.

HSJ has learnt that all the capital’s pathology services have now been approached to help Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospital after the IT systems for their provider Synnovis went down, the pressure on the capital’s labs and technical issues limited what help could be given.

But one senior manager told HSJ: “Many trusts are keen to help but their hands are tied. The difficulties are that so many medium-sized NHS labs are already running hot and have not got the capacity."

HSJ was told there was significant clinical risk in primary care as well.

Routine tests that might have picked up something important are not happening and one manager said: “Patients in primary care include those in nursing homes – blood tests and test for infections can be the only way to work out why a frail patient is deteriorating.”

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Source: HSJ, 17 June 2024