Around 70 GP surgeries in the North East are experiencing IT disruption today, with the issue mostly affecting practices in County Durham and Northumberland.
Network provider working on fix
The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) confirmed that 70 of the region's 360 GP practices are having problems with their computer systems. At the time of writing, their network provider was working to rectify the issue.
Statement from health chiefs
In a statement, the ICB said: "Around 70 of our region's 360 GP practices are currently experiencing issues with their computer systems and the network provider is working to rectify this as soon as possible. The areas which are most affected are Durham and Northumberland.
"We apologise for any inconvenience this is causing for our patients. All our practices have plans in place which they follow in the event of an issue like this."
Advice for patients
Patients with affected appointments will be contacted directly by their practice. For more information, patients are advised to check their practice's website.
For urgent medical advice or prescriptions, the ICB suggests contacting NHS 111 online or by phone, and considering other services such as a pharmacy. The NHS app can be used for test results and repeat prescriptions. For life-threatening emergencies, call 999.
