Junior doctors in London are permitted to break their strike to provide assistance at sites affected by a cyber attack on pathology system provider Synnovis, according to the British Medical Association (BMA).
Due to the ransomware attack on 3 June 2024, services in south east London, including Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts, are experiencing delays to appointments and procedures.
Despite the ongoing strikes by junior doctors, the BMA has reached agreements with NHS England to allow a limited number of doctors to work at sites most impacted by the cyber attack.
Professor Phil Banfield, chair of BMA council, emphasized the priority of safe patient care during strikes and the importance of ensuring cover for affected hospitals.
In a joint statement, officials from King’s College Hospital and Guy’s and St Thomas’ affirmed their commitment to managing the cyber attack as a critical incident and minimizing disruption to patients during the industrial action.
NHS England London released data indicating the postponement of outpatient appointments and elective procedures at the affected trusts, with progress being made in restoring pathology services post-attack.
Furthermore, Russian cyber criminal group Qilin leaked patient data on the dark web, claiming it was obtained during the attack.
