Man’s life-saving heart surgery cancelled after NHS cyber attack

A heart patient has been left fearing for his health after his life-saving operation was cancelled due to a major cyber attack on London NHS hospitals.

Russell Ashley-Smith, 81, is waiting for complex open heart surgery at King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill, south London, without which he may only have up to two years to live.

More than 200 emergency procedures were cancelled due to the ransomware hack earlier this month.

Mr Ashley-Smith said: “I understand if I don’t [have the operation] it’s terminal. Doctors said you’ll live for one to two years with declining health and become less and less capable of doing things like walking.

“I would become more dependent on my wife, and more dependent on being taken somewhere by car if I wanted to go outside. I would be unable to make music – I play the cello and the piano – all the things I like doing and I don’t want to be a couch potato."

As well as operations, thousands of patient hospital appointments had to be cancelled across Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust and King’s College University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust due to the cyber attack.

The NHS admitted on Friday it would take months for services to recover even once the attack has been resolved, as staff will have to rebook patients for appointments and operations.

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Source: The Independent, 19 June 2024