The global IT outage has caused significant disruptions across the UK, with the National Health Service (NHS) reporting widespread issues affecting GP practices and pharmacy services. Most GP practices in England have struggled with accessing their record systems, including online appointment bookings. Pharmacy services, particularly those involving prescription access, have also been impacted.


The outage has led to extended queues at UK airports and caused interruptions to several television channels.


Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has identified the cause of the global IT issues as a "defect" in a content update, clarifying that this is not a security incident or cyberattack. George Kurtz, CEO of CrowdStrike, stated, "The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed."


Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, noted that government teams are managing the response through Cobra, the emergency response committee. "Ministers are collaborating with various sectors and industries to address the issue," he shared on X (formerly Twitter).


An NHS England spokesperson explained: “The NHS is dealing with a global IT outage affecting EMIS, a key system for appointments and patient records, leading to disruptions in most GP practices. Patients should attend their appointments unless advised otherwise. For non-urgent matters, please use 111 online or call 111. There is no reported impact on 999 emergency services.”


The National Pharmacy Association also reported disruptions in community pharmacies, including challenges with prescription access and medicine deliveries. They urged patients to be patient and understanding during this period.


At airports, long queues have formed, with British Airways indicating that some flights may experience delays. Heathrow, the UK’s largest airport, mentioned that select systems were affected but assured that flights are operational and contingency plans are in place to minimize disruptions.


Train services continue to operate, but the National Rail Enquiries website has warned of "widespread IT issues across the network," potentially leading to last-minute cancellations. The site also noted that real-time customer information systems are impacted, with possible alterations and cancellations affecting services by Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern, and Thameslink.


British TV channels Sky News and CBBC, which had previously been off air, have now resumed broadcasting.