The NHS has reported that hospitals in London cancelled nearly 1,600 operations and outpatient appointments in just one week in the wake of the Russian cyber-attack.
The cyber-attack perpetrated against pathology laboratory Synnovis began on 3 June and has severely impacted two major acute hospital trusts in the capital.
Synnovis, a collaboration between the NHS and Synlab, provides pathology services necessary for the NHS's operations, such as blood tests, the Guardian reported.
The attack led to the postponement of 832 surgical procedures at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT).
These cancelled surgeries span a range of critical services, including cancer surgery, planned caesarean sections and organ transplants, in addition to heart procedures, bariatric surgery, and hip and knee replacements.
Furthermore, the trusts were compelled to reschedule 736 appointments for patients awaiting consultations with specialists.
The disruption has affected the operations of GSTT, King's, and four other trusts, which collectively serve a population of two million.
NHS London medical director Dr Chris Streather said: “While staff are working round the clock to mitigate the impact and Synnovis is working to recover its IT system, we expect disruption to be felt for some time.
“Sites impacted are continuing to prioritise the most urgent care, so please use services in the normal way by dialling 999 in an emergency and otherwise use NHS 111 through the NHS App, online or on the phone.”
The cyber-attack's ramifications are reported to be profound, with 18 organs, predominantly kidneys, that were intended for transplants at King's being diverted to other hospitals due to the operational challenges.
Commenting on the impact on patient data, the NHS said: “Where there is a ransomware attack, there is always a risk that cyber criminals also access data. Alongside work on restoring services, investigations are continuing to establish any possible impact to data.”
