United Kingdom NHS appeal for O-type blood contributions after cyber attack on hospitals in London
June 10, 2024
An urgent plea for O-type blood donations has been issued by the United Kingdom NHS in response to a recent cyber attack on several hospitals in London.
The National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom issued a pressing appeal for O-type blood donations following the recent ransomware attack on Synnovis that caused disruptions at various healthcare facilities in London.
Early in June, a ransomware incident targeting the pathology and diagnostic services provider Synnovis had a severe impact on the operations of several major NHS hospitals in London. This attack led to the cancellation of certain medical procedures at the affected hospitals, with some patients being redirected to alternative healthcare facilities.
Synnovis, which represents a collaboration between Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospitals NHS Trust, and SYNLAB, the largest provider of medical testing and diagnostics in Europe, confirmed on their website that they had fallen victim to a ransomware attack.
“Synnovis – a collaboration between two London-based hospital Trusts and SYNLAB – experienced a ransomware cyberattack on Monday, June 3rd. This has resulted in the disruption of our IT systems, leading to the interruption of several of our pathology services.”, stated the communication released by the company. “Regrettably, this has affected patients, with certain activities being either cancelled or redirected to other providers to prioritize urgent work.”
There has been no further communication or updates from Synnovis regarding the extent of the cyber attack.
Authorities suspect that the Qilin ransomware group may be responsible for the incident.
The NHS London issued a statement concerning the ransomware attack on Synnovis, acknowledging the substantial impact it has had on the service delivery of Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts, and primary care services in south east London.
“Synnovis, a lab services provider, was subjected to a ransomware cyber attack on Monday, June 3rd. This has had a significant impact on the service delivery of Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts, and primary care services in south east London. We apologize for the inconvenience caused to patients and their families.” reads the statement issued by NHS London.
“All urgent and emergency services continue to operate as usual, with the majority of outpatient services unaffected.” stated the NHS. “Nevertheless, some procedures and operations requiring pathology services have been deferred. Blood testing is being prioritized for critical cases, resulting in the cancellation of phlebotomy appointments for some patients.”
The NHS acknowledged that the ransomware attack had disrupted blood matching tests, prompting affected hospitals to utilize O Negative and O Positive blood for patients unable to wait for alternative matching methods. Consequently, the NHS is urging individuals with O-type blood to donate.
“In response to the cyber incident in London, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is appealing for O Positive and O Negative blood donors to promptly schedule donation appointments at one of the 25 town and city center NHS Blood Donor Centres in England, to increase stocks of O type blood.” reads the announcement issued by NHS Blood and Transplant.
“The IT incident involving a pathology provider is currently preventing hospitals from conducting blood matches as frequently as usual. In order for surgeries and procedures requiring blood to proceed, hospitals must resort to using O type blood due to its universal compatibility and 35-day shelf life, necessitating a continual replenishment of stocks. This means a higher demand for these blood types than usual in the coming weeks to ensure the consistent operation of services for local patients.”
O Negative blood serves as a universal blood type, suitable for anyone in emergencies or when the patient’s blood type is unknown. Despite only 8% of the population possessing O Negative blood, it caters to approximately 15% of hospital requirements. O Positive, the most prevalent blood type, can be transfused to individuals with a positive blood type, benefiting 76% of the population, with 35% of blood donors having O Positive blood.
“To support hospitals across London in conducting more surgeries and providing optimal care to all patients, we require more O Negative and O Positive donors than usual. Kindly schedule an immediate appointment to donate blood at one of our 25 town and city donor centers, where appointment availability is currently favorable.
“We welcome donors who are aware of their O-type status, but we also encourage individuals not yet informed of their blood type to join our cause. You may possess one of these special blood types that can prove invaluable in emergencies.”
“To support hospitals across London in conducting more surgeries and providing optimal care to all patients, we require more O Negative and O Positive donors than usual. Kindly schedule an immediate appointment to donate blood at one of our 25 town and city donor centers, where appointment availability is currently favorable.” said Dr Gail Miflin, Chief Medical Officer, NHS Blood and Transplant. “We welcome donors who are aware of their O-type status, but we also encourage individuals not yet informed of their blood type to join our cause. You may possess one of these special blood types that can prove invaluable in emergencies.””
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