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| Apology as IT problems affect patients in Glasgow health board area | Apology as IT problems affect patients in Glasgow health board area |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Scotland's largest health board has made an "unreserved apology" over an IT problem which is continuing to affect services for a second day. | 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 it had only restored "a basic level of IT service to enable some of the clinical services affected to resume normally". | 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 590 patients have had their treatment or appointments postponed. | |
| The problem has affected up to 10 hospitals across the health board area. | The problem has affected up to 10 hospitals across the health board area. |
| The issue, which arose after a server crash and a subsequent failure in the back-up system, left clinicians unable to access services such as patient records. | The issue, which arose after a server crash and a subsequent failure in the back-up system, left clinicians unable to access services such as patient records. |
| It resulted in outpatient appointments, inpatient procedures, day surgery cases and chemotherapy appointments being postponed. | It resulted in outpatient appointments, inpatient procedures, day surgery cases and chemotherapy appointments being postponed. |
| Maternity and emergency services have been maintained throughout. | Maternity and emergency services have been maintained throughout. |
| It is hoped the problems will be resolved by Wednesday evening. | It is hoped the problems will be resolved by Wednesday evening. |
| 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. | 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. |
| "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." | "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." |
| Mr Calderwood said that the "vast majority" of hospital services had been maintained and more than 7,400 planned procedures and appointments had gone ahead during the IT systems crash. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "The unprecedented IT issue relates to our network and the way staff can connect to some of our clinical and administrative systems." | "The unprecedented IT issue relates to our network and the way staff can connect to some of our clinical and administrative systems." |
| 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". | 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". |
| The health board confirmed that by late morning on Wednesday, it had postponed some 485 outpatient appointments. | |
| It said that 14 planned inpatient procedures were also postponed, along with 43 day cases and 48 chemotherapy patient treatments. | It said that 14 planned inpatient procedures were also postponed, along with 43 day cases and 48 chemotherapy patient treatments. |
| NHS GGC said earlier that emergency operations and community services had not been compromised by the ongoing problem. | NHS GGC said earlier that emergency operations and community services had not been compromised by the ongoing problem. |
| The Scottish government confirmed it had been informed about the problem. | The Scottish government confirmed it had been informed about the problem. |
| Twitter anger | 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." |
| Answering questions on the problem in parliament, Scottish Health Secretary Alex Neil said the two software server companies - Microsoft and Charteris - were working to determine the cause of the problem. | Answering questions on the problem in parliament, Scottish Health Secretary Alex Neil said the two software server companies - Microsoft and Charteris - were working to determine the cause of the problem. |
| He said no data appeared to have been lost, adding: "My officials will work closely with the board to establish the root cause of this incident and to share the lessons with other NHS boards." | He said no data appeared to have been lost, adding: "My officials will work closely with the board to establish the root cause of this incident and to share the lessons with other NHS boards." |
| Mr Neil said the NHS was contacting patients to ensure their treatments and appointments were rescheduled as soon as possible. | Mr Neil said the NHS was contacting patients to ensure their treatments and appointments were rescheduled as soon as possible. |
| Jeff Hawkins told BBC Radio Scotland's Newsdrive programme that he was travelling to a consultant's appointment at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital on Wednesday when he was told it was cancelled. | |
| He said this was not the first time that IT problems had resulted in an appointment being rescheduled. | |
| "I've had one appointment where I turned up at the time it said on the letter and was told I was a non-attender because the computer said 11:30 and I turned up at 12:00," he said. | |
| Mr Hawkins said the letter telling him about another appointment had arrived the day after the appointment. | |
| 'Brilliant staff' | |
| Mr Hawkins described the medical staff that he had dealt with during various hospital visits as "fabulous, caring, knowledgeable and brilliant". | |
| But he added: "The administrative back up is just appalling. It's like yesterday's world." | |
| Reacting on Twitter, John Greer, from Glasgow, said he had waited six months for an appointment on Tuesday, only for it to be cancelled. | 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." | 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." | 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." |