[revised: 9 Dec 2024]
Recent cyberattacks have significantly disrupted NHS hospitals in the Wirral and Liverpool regions, highlighting critical vulnerabilities in healthcare cybersecurity.
On November 25, 2024, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust declared a “major incident” due to a cyber security issue, leading to the cancellation of all outpatient appointments and extended waiting times in the emergency department. The trust implemented business continuity processes, reverting to manual, paper-based systems to maintain patient care.
Shortly thereafter, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, along with Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital, experienced a cyberattack. Criminals gained unlawful access to data through a shared digital gateway service, resulting in the exposure of sensitive information from all three hospitals. Alder Hey confirmed that screenshots of the compromised data were published online, and an investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the breach.
Despite these challenges, hospital services at Alder Hey remain operational, with patients advised to attend appointments as scheduled. The trust is collaborating with the National Crime Agency and other partners to secure its systems and mitigate further risks.
These cyberattacks underscore the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures within healthcare settings. The incidents have prompted a re-evaluation of digital defences to protect sensitive patient data and ensure the continuity of essential medical services.
Eileen Pierson
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