Patient records 'not compromised' in NHS cyber attack, says PM

Theresa May said the Government is not aware of any evidence that patient records have been compromised in the massive cyber attack on the NHS.

The Prime Minister said the ransomware hit was "not targeted" at the health service but was part of a wider assault on organisations across a number of countries.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is working to support the NHS.

Mrs May said: "We are aware that a number of NHS organisations have reported that they have suffered from a ransomware attack.

"This is not targeted at the NHS, it's an international attack and a number of countries and organisations have been affected.

"The National Cyber Security Centre is working closely with NHS digital to ensure that they support the organisations concerned and that they protect patient safety.

"And, we are not aware of any evidence that patient data has been compromised.

"Of course it is important that we have set up the National Cyber Security Centre and they are able to work with the NHS organisations concerned and to ensure that they are supported and patient safety is protected."

Pictures posted on social media showed screens of NHS computers with images demanding payment of 300 US dollars worth of the online currency Bitcoin, threatening to delete files within seven days.

A spokesman for NHS Digital, which manages health service cyber security, said: "At this stage, we do not have any evidence that patient data has been accessed.

"We will continue to work with affected organisations to confirm this."

He added the attack "was not specifically targeted at the NHS and is affecting organisations from across a range of sectors".

The attack came as several companies in Spain were hit by ransomware attacks. Telecoms firm Telefonica was one of those reporting problems.

English hospitals and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in London, Blackpool, Hertfordshire and Derbyshire were among those to report problems.

In Scotland, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Dumfries and Galloway and NHS Forth Valley said some of their GP surgeries have been caught up in the incident.

NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Western Isles also confirmed they have been affected.