Numerous Portiuncula appointments cancelled due to HSE cyber attack

Services at Portiuncula Hospital are being significantly impacted by the ransomware attack on the HSE's computer systems late last week.

Many of the appointments that were scheduled at the hospital in Ballinasloe have been cancelled, including x-ray and CT scans, MRI appointments, cardiac investigations, endoscopy services, outpatient clinics, and all elective inpatient and day case procedures.

Lengthy delays are also expected in the Emergency Department, as time-consuming manual work has to be carried out in the absence of the IT systems that are normally relied upon.

A HSE statement said maternity services at Portiuncula were going ahead, and patients should continue to attend chemotherapy appointments unless they had been contacted and advised otherwise.

"Where possible, patients should bring their existing patient number or hospital number with them when they come to the hospital, or any letter that they have received from the hospital, as this will contain information which will make it easier to find existing medical records," it said.

"We ask patients to contact their GP or GP Out Of Hours Service in the first instance if their health problem is not urgent."

The HSE added that it wished to thank patients for their understanding "at this difficult time".

It's believed that the attack on the HSE's IT systems was carried out by an organised cyber crime group based in Eastern Europe. Its impact on patient services is expected to last for several days.