IT outages at GP practices being investigated

IT outages that have left GP practices across three counties unable to connect to the internet or access some clinical services are being 'urgently investigated'.

Practices in Surrey, Sussex and Kent have been facing IT issues but remain open, Kent and Medway and Surrey and Sussex integrated care boards (ICB) said.

The outage has resulted in some GP practices being unable to connect to the internet or access clinical systems, emails and other online services.

Kent and Medway ICB said the problem was not just impacting its area, and that NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit, which provides IT services for GPs in Kent and Medway, was investigating the outage.

A spokesperson for NHS Kent and Medway asked patients to bear with practice staff doing their best to support patients and apologised for the inconvenience caused.

They added: ‘GP practices are open as normal but some are experiencing difficulty in connecting to the internet.

‘This is due to an issue not just impacting Kent and Medway and is being urgently investigated by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit  – which provide GP IT services in Kent and Medway.’

NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit confirmed the ‘intermittent network issues’ but said it was unable to provide a timeline for when the current outage is likely to end.

A spokesperson added: ‘Some GP practices in the south east are currently experiencing intermittent network issues.

‘We are working closely with our suppliers to test and implement a solution. All networks and data remain secure.

‘Technical workarounds and business continuity plans are being enacted to maintain secure access to systems and files for practice staff.’ 

Surrey and Sussex ICB said that the IT issues were preventing some GP practices ‘from accessing some clinical systems’.

‘We are aware this is causing disruption for GP practices and technical teams are working urgently to resolve issues,’ it added.

The ICB told patients to continue to contact their practice and attend appointments unless told otherwise.

In a statement on its website Bexhill Primary Care Network (PCN) in East Sussex said that some GP practices had been experiencing network outages around 16 April.

At the time, the PCN said that it meant GP Practices may be unable to use clinical systems, emails and other online services.

‘This issue has been identified as a major incident and is being actively investigated with work is underway to restore services as quickly and safely as possible,’ it added.

Kent LMC medical director Dr Jack Jacobs told Pulse PCN's sister title Pulse that the area had been dealing with ‘significant disruption’ from ongoing outages since January.