Sleaford area GP practices report services affected by cyber attack on NHS systems

Ransomware is believed to have locked NHS staff out of computer systems up and down the country causing cancellations of appointments.

Staff at Sleaford Medical Group told The Standard they have been affected by the attack and have had to switch off all computer equipment.

Meanwhile Millview Medical Practice, which has surgeries based in Sleaford and Heckington has been told by NHS IT specialists to switch off computers as a precaution although its systems had apparently not been hit.

Practice manager Marcus Griffen said it was ‘back to the stone age’ explaining: “We are back to pen and paper.

“We have been advised to shut down but had not been affected.

“It puts things on an emergency service footing. We hear certain aspects of Sleaford had been hit.”

Likewise at Ruskington Medical Practice they had been unaffected but were told to shut down anyway and revert to paper.

Staff there said it had worked better than expected.

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