Burton hospital at 'extreme risk' of cyber attack

SUFFICIENT SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE, INSISTS NHS TRUST

- By SOPHIE FAGONE BUSCIMESE

AN NHS trust which runs hospitals in Burton and Derby has revealed it is at “extreme risk” of failing to protect its hospitals in the event of a cyber attack.

Board papers released by the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust revealed that a newly-appointed extreme risk review group has given the likelihood of failing to protect the hospitals from cyber attacks a score of four out of five.

In the event of a cyber attack, the report said the hospitals would not have sufficient systems and processes in place to provide patient care, which would cause them to lose critical information such as patient data, risking financial penalties.

The trust has said that cyber security was placed on the risk register, and will remain there, as part of a “responsible and transparent approach” to managing a risk which is recognised across the entire NHS.