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Hundreds of GP practices lose online services after Silicon Practice collapse
BBC reports Silicon Practice, which ran websites and online booking for about 500 GP practices in England, went into administration, disrupting online access in England and Wales.
- New headline Was: “Hundreds of GP practices lose online services after collapse of tech firm Silicon Practice”
- Our desk filed its story
Patients at hundreds of GP surgeries in England and Wales have been unable to use practice websites and online booking after Silicon Practice went into administration, the BBC reported on Thursday1.
The firm ran digital services, including websites, online booking and consultations, for about 500 practices in England, just under 10% of the total, the report said1.
Practices in London, Gloucestershire and Norfolk have reported problems, and services in Wales are also affected, according to the BBC1.
GP leaders said the outage would cause large disruption because of how much booking now happens online1. Since last year, all practices in England have had to offer online appointment booking, and more than 40% of appointments are made that way, the BBC said1.
Patients in affected areas are being told to book by phone; the NHS app is working, the report said1.
An NHS England spokesperson said the majority of GP practice websites were running as normal, but some using Silicon Practice would be affected1. "If your GP practice website is unavailable and you need help, you should contact your practice by phone or in person as usual"1.
NHS England said it had contacted affected practices with advice on business continuity and limiting the impact on patient care1.
Silicon Practice ran FootFall, a tool it advertised as cutting patient phone calls to practices by 30% and as proven in more than 1,000 GP practices across the UK, the BBC reported1.
Prof Victoria Tzortziou Brown, president of the Royal College of GPs, said practice websites are an important way for patients to book care and find information, and that when they fail it can be hugely disruptive for patients and extra work for stretched teams1. She said NHS England and local NHS organisations should restore sites promptly and make sure patients know how to contact their practice1.
The BBC report did not say when online services might return or how the administration will be resolved1. Not medical advice.