Two Ambulance Services in South England Hit by Cyber Attack, Losing Access to Electronic Patient Records

Two ambulance services in the South of England have been hit by a cyber attack that has left them without access to their electronic patient records.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) and South Western Ambulance Service (SWASFT), which cover a population of 12 million people, are both affected.

The attack targeted a third-party technology company used by the trusts.

NHS England is investigating the incident alongside the police, and work is ongoing to reconnect the system.

South Central Ambulance Service Trust attends incidents in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, and Buckinghamshire, as well as non-emergency coverage for Sussex and Surrey.

South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust covers Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, and the Isles of Scilly.

The service lost access to its electronic patient records on 18 July, according to the Health Service Journal's ambulance correspondent Alison Moore.

Ms. Moore stated that patients were not being affected directly, but ambulances were turning up without their usual levels of medical history, such as allergies, significant health incidents, and medications.

Ms. Moore believes that the standard of care is still very high but that incidents might be taking longer to deal with.

"Crews are on the road without important information about the people they've been called to see," she said.

An NHS spokesperson said, "We are aware of an incident affecting a small number of ambulance services.

Our Cyber Security Operations Centre is working with affected organizations to investigate, alongside law enforcement colleagues." The 999 call system is not affected, and people can still contact the ambulance services as normal.

The incident highlights the importance of cybersecurity in the healthcare sector and the need for organizations to have robust measures in place to prevent such attacks.

It is essential for healthcare providers to take steps to protect their electronic patient records and other sensitive data.

This includes investing in cybersecurity measures, such as firewalls and encryption, and training staff on how to identify and prevent cyber threats.

Both ambulance services have assured the public that they are doing everything possible to minimize the impact