**HEALTH**
## Major Disruption Hits Hundreds of GP Practices as Tech Firm Silicon Practice Collapses, Jeopardizing Online Patient Services
**LONDON, UK** – Hundreds of General Practitioner (GP) practices across England and Wales are grappling with severe disruption to their online services following the sudden collapse of Silicon Practice, a key provider of digital platforms for primary care. The unforeseen closure of the tech firm has led to the immediate cessation of online functionalities for an estimated 300 to 500 GP surgeries, prompting widespread concern among patients and healthcare leaders.
The affected practices, primarily relying on Silicon Practice for their bespoke websites and patient management portals, have lost crucial online capabilities including appointment booking, repeat prescription requests, and access to patient medical records. This abrupt outage is expected to cause significant operational challenges and considerable inconvenience for patients who have grown accustomed to managing their healthcare needs digitally.
GP leaders have swiftly condemned the situation, highlighting the potential for immense disruption to patient care. “This will cause huge disruption in some parts of England and Wales,” stated a spokesperson for a leading GP representative body, underscoring the critical role these online services play in modern primary care. “Practices are now faced with processing an increased volume of telephone calls and in-person requests, straining already stretched resources.”
Silicon Practice specialised in developing and hosting secure, user-friendly online interfaces that integrated with NHS systems, enabling patients to interact with their practices remotely. Its sudden cessation of operations has left many surgeries without a digital front door, necessitating an immediate scramble to establish alternative communication channels and data management solutions.
**Advice for Affected Patients:**
Patients registered with a GP practice that previously used Silicon Practice for online services are advised to:
1. **Contact Your Practice by Phone:** For all appointment bookings, prescription requests, or medical inquiries, please call your GP surgery directly. Do not rely on previous online methods that are now likely defunct.
2. **Be Patient and Understanding:** Practice staff are working under exceptional circumstances to manage the increased workload. Your patience and understanding during this period are greatly appreciated.
3. **Check Practice Communications:** Keep an eye on local practice websites (if hosted by an alternative provider), social media, or notice boards for updates on how they are managing the disruption.
NHS England and relevant health boards in Wales are understood to be assessing the full extent of the issue and are working to support affected practices in restoring essential services. The incident underscores the growing reliance of modern healthcare on digital infrastructure and raises questions about supplier resilience and contingency planning within the NHS digital strategy. Efforts are underway to migrate affected practices to new providers and restore online functionalities as quickly and securely as possible.
