Delays possible as GP surgeries affected by global IT outage

The outage has caused long queues at Luton Airport with extended wait times at Edinburgh Airport.

Gatwick, the UK’s second busiest airport, issued a warning over delays at check-in desks and security and train services have also been disrupted.

GP surgeries and pharmacies in England are also affected with the outage potentially leading to delays as patients can't be seen.

GP surgeries across the country affected by major IT outage. We anticipate this could last for many hours. Please bear with us during this challenging time.

— Wilmslow Health Centre (@WilmslowHealth) July 19, 2024

The Mirror reports that one practice manager in Berkshire told reporters: "We are completely dead in the water. We can't see any patients are systems are down. It's not clinically safe to treat patients because we can't see their notes.

“Can't give out prescriptions and even if we do hand write them the problem is also affecting the pharmacies. It's affecting the whole area and hospitals are in an even worse situation."

PA News Agency says NHS England has been contacted for comment as practices have shared on social media that they’re unable to access the EMIS Web system.

This system is the most widely used clinical system for primary care in the UK and it enables GP practices to book appointments, examine records and includes a clinical decision support tool as well as helping with admin.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, the Wilmslow Health Centre in Cheshire posted: "All practices in the UK using the NHS commissioned GP computer system EMIS are currently without access to their IT systems. This is beyond the control of GP surgeries. Please bear with us until we have our IT systems back online."

‼ IMPORTANT NOTICE ‼

There is a nationwide outage of our booking system EMIS. We're continuing as normal for urgent enquiries but ask for routine concerns to wait until Monday. Please continue to submit your queries through Engage Consult. Thank you.

— Windrush Medical Practice (@WindrushMedical) July 19, 2024

Solihull Healthcare Partnership in the West Midlands said on X: "Unfortunately there is a national issue with EMIS Web - our clinical computer system. This will affect our ability to book/consult with patients this morning. We will update patients when we can. We apologise for the disruption."

Central Lakes Medical Group in Ambleside also posted on X, saying: "We're impacted by the IT outage. This will have a big effect on us, so apologies in advance for the inconvenience caused, and delays on the phone."

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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) confirmed the IT outage is disrupting community pharmacies too.

A spokesperson said: “We’re aware that due to global IT outages that services in community pharmacies, including the accessing of prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries, are disrupted today.

“We urge patients to be patient whilst visiting their pharmacy.

“We’re urgently raising this issue with the NHS England.”