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IT glitch continues to hit NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde appointments Apology as IT problems affect patients in Glasgow health board area
(35 minutes later)
Scotland's largest health board is working to fix a major IT problem which has hit hundreds of outpatient appointments and some operations. Scotland's largest health board has made an "unreserved apology" over an IT problem which is continuing to affect services for a second day.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said technical staff worked overnight, but the problem continued to affect patients. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it had only restored "a basic level of IT service to enable some of the clinical services affected to resume normally".
It confirmed that over the past 36 hours, some 564 patients have had their treatment or appointments postponed.
The problem may have affected up to 10 hospitals across the health board area.
The computer failure has impacted on staff access to clinical and administrative systems.The computer failure has impacted on staff access to clinical and administrative systems.
A statement on the problem is due in the Scottish Parliament. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) chief executive Robert Calderwood said: "I apologise unreservedly for the inconvenience this has caused to our patients who have had their procedures postponed, and I will ensure that everything possible is done to get their treatment carried out at the earliest possible opportunity.
The health board has said, however, that a "fix" should ensure that chemotherapy patients are not affected. "I can assure everyone that our senior management team, IT specialists and clinical leads have been working around the clock and will continue to do so until this issue is resolved."
A spokesman apologised to patients and said all appointments would be rescheduled. 'Regrettably' postponed
In total, 288 outpatient appointments, four planned inpatient procedures, 23 day surgery cases and 40 chemotherapy sessions were postponed. Mr Calderwood said that the "vast majority" of hospital services had been maintained and about 7,400 planned procedures and appointments had gone ahead during the IT systems crash.
There was also some delay in calls to the switchboard being answered. He said: "Those which have had to be postponed were as a result of clinical decisions taken because the treatment or consultation was reliant on detailed imaging and other patient information which was unavailable as a result of the network issue.
The problem may have affected up to 10 major hospitals across the health board area. "Arrangements have also been made to maintain the vast majority of chemotherapy sessions today (Wednesday), although a small number of sessions have regrettably been postponed.
Technical staff "The unprecedented IT issue relates to our network and the way staff can connect to some of our clinical and administrative systems."
But emergency operations were not compromised - neither were community services. NHS GGC said further work would be carried out during Wednesday afternoon to ensure that the partial fixes put in place were "sustainable" and that "full IT functionality is restored".
A statement from the health board issued at 06:28 on Wednesday said: "Despite the best efforts of our IT technical staff who have worked throughout the night we have as yet been unable to resolve the problem. The health board confirmed that by late morning on Wednesday, it had postponed some 459 outpatient appointments.
"We have however been able to put in place a fix which we believe will ensure that chemotherapy patients are not affected by the continued IT issue. It said that 14 planned inpatient procedures were also postponed, along with 43 day cases and 48 chemotherapy patient treatments.
"Unfortunately however there will still be some patients whose planned appointments today will be affected and we are currently in the process of assessing which patients this will impact upon. As soon as this has been identified we will contact the patients direct. NHS GGC said earlier that emergency operations and community services had not been compromised by the ongoing problem.
The statement added: "We are continuing to work to get the system back on line as soon as possible and would like to apologise again to those patients who have been inconvenienced."
Reacting on Twitter, John Greer, from Glasgow, said he had waited six months for an appointment on Tuesday, only for it to be cancelled.
He added: "The place was in utter chaos can't believe there is no back-up."
However, Annemarie Monaghan, from Bearsden, said: "Hospital appointment at 9am - despite no IT system was seen on time, good consultation, future treatment organised. No problem. Well done NHS."
The Scottish government confirmed it had been informed about the problem.The Scottish government confirmed it had been informed about the problem.
Twitter anger
A spokesman said: "We have been made aware of an issue related to IT at NHS Greater Glasgow that has resulted in a number of postponements.A spokesman said: "We have been made aware of an issue related to IT at NHS Greater Glasgow that has resulted in a number of postponements.
"We have been assured that staff are working hard to return services to normal and to reschedule appointments at the earliest opportunity.""We have been assured that staff are working hard to return services to normal and to reschedule appointments at the earliest opportunity."
A question on the issue is due to be raised in the Scottish parliament on Wednesday afternoon.
Reacting on Twitter, John Greer, from Glasgow, said he had waited six months for an appointment on Tuesday, only for it to be cancelled.
He added: "The place was in utter chaos can't believe there is no back-up."
However, Annemarie Monaghan, from Bearsden, said: "Hospital appointment at 9am - despite no IT system was seen on time, good consultation, future treatment organised. No problem. Well done NHS."