Responding to the cyber-attack which hit NHS services across England and Scotland on Friday 12 May, Royal College of Physicians (RCP) president Professor Jane Dacre said:
The scale and extent of the cyber-attack is of immense concern for staff working in the NHS and for the patients it serves. The full picture of how the NHS was so vulnerable to this attack is not yet known, but we hope to see a concerted and rapid effort to ensure the systems used in our NHS are as robust and secure as possible.
We are very proud of all doctors and NHS staff who have demonstrated dedication during this challenging time, and thank them for their commitment to delivering uninterrupted, high-quality patient care in the wake of this attack.
Advice and information
The following organisations have released statements and guidance:
- National Cyber Security Centre – Latest statement on international ransomware cyber attack
- NHS Digital – Latest guidance for NHS on protecting against cyber attack
- NHS Choices – Advice for people accessing the NHS over the coming days.
For more information please contact RCP head of press and PR Linda Cuthbertson:
- Email: linda.cuthbertson@rcplondon.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 3075 1254.