Global IT outage impacting GP services

A global IT outage is causing disruptions to EMIS Web, the system used by many GP practices to book appointments and access patient records.

The NHS has implemented ‘long standing continuity measures’ in order to mitigate the impact of the outage and work is underway in order to fix the issue as soon as possible.

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Local NHS services are reportedly working in  close communication with one another and are working together to resolve the issue and ensure that the impact to patients is minimised wherever possible.

To help ease pressures on primary care services, patients were being asked to only contact their GP if it is urgent. Otherwise, they are being asked to use NHS 111 online by visiting 111.nhs.uk or calling 111.

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The outage is not affecting 999 and emergency services and people should continue to use these in genuine life-threatening emergencies.

An NHS spokesperson said: ‘The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices.

‘The NHS has long standing measures in place to manage the disruption, including using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact your GP. There is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as they usually would.’

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For non-emergency medical advice patients are asked to call NHS 111.