Neighbouring providers aid cyber attack victim

Two pathology networks are coming to the aid of a neighbour, still largely paralysed following an unprecedented cyber attack on its IT system earlier this month.

HSJ has learned that Australian-owned firm Health Services Laboratories, which operates mainly from two NHS trusts in north London, will take on some of the primary care tests in south-east London while the Synnovis systems, which were taken out by the attack, are down.

HSL will take on work from Lambeth and Southwark boroughs, while South West London Pathology, an NHS-run consortium based at St George’s Hospital, will take on similar work for GP practices in Bexley and Bromley.

SWLP was able to connect electronically to send results back to 70 surgeries in south east London within three days.

HSL confirmed it had been drafted in, but it gave no information on what tests it was performing or where, or how it was assuring itself that services in north London would not suffer as a result.

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Source: HSJ, 20 June 2024