GP websites fail after digital supplier collapses
Thousands of patients have lost access to online consultations and practice websites, although surgeries remain open.
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A technology company’s collapse into administration has disrupted online services at GP practices in parts of England and Wales. Patients have been told to contact their surgeries by telephone or use alternative NHS routes while replacement arrangements are made.
Silicon Practice supplied websites, online consultation tools and chatbots to GP practices. After the company ceased trading, some practices lost access to websites and digital forms used to request advice or contact staff.
NHS bodies said fewer than 10% of England’s roughly 6,000 practices were affected. Disruption was also reported in Gloucestershire, parts of London and Wales. The precise number of patients affected is changing as practices identify which services depended on the supplier.
GP appointments have not been cancelled because of the collapse. Practices remain open, and patients can still contact them by telephone or in person. Some patients can also use the NHS App for services such as repeat prescriptions and appointment management, depending on what their practice has enabled.
NHS Gloucestershire said the incident was not a cyber-attack or data breach. It warned that telephone lines might be busier because online requests were unavailable. Other integrated care boards issued similar advice and asked practices to provide alternative ways to seek clinical support.
The disruption illustrates the dependence of local NHS services on small private technology suppliers. A digital failure does not necessarily interrupt clinical care immediately, but it can increase pressure on reception teams and make access harder for patients who rely on online contact.
NHS organisations are working with practices to restore services or arrange replacements. Patients have been advised to follow their practice’s local instructions and use NHS 111 where urgent medical help is needed.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A GP technology supplier entered administration.
- Some practice websites and online services stopped working.
- GP surgeries remained open and alternative contact routes were available.
Left
Arguments Essential NHS access should not depend on fragile private suppliers. Government should fund resilient public digital infrastructure and require strong continuity plans.
Values Universal access, public provision and equality.
Consequences More public control could improve resilience but require substantial investment.
Centre
Arguments Private suppliers can innovate, but NHS contracts need clear exit plans, data protection and service-continuity requirements. Responsibility should be shared between providers and commissioners.
Values Practical resilience, accountability and value for money.
Consequences Better procurement could reduce disruption without excluding specialist firms.
Right
Arguments The failure shows the danger of over-centralising access through digital systems. Practices should retain flexible local channels and avoid unnecessary regulation that makes suppliers too expensive.
Values Choice, local autonomy and limited bureaucracy.
Consequences More local flexibility may help continuity, but could produce uneven digital standards.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Priya Shah — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The incident, affected services and continuity of appointments are confirmed by NHS notices and independent reporting. The article distinguishes service disruption from a cyber-attack or data breach.
- confirmed Silicon Practice entered administration and stopped trading. — Independent reporting and practice notices. source
- confirmed Fewer than 10% of English practices were affected. — The Independent report cites NHS information. source
- confirmed The disruption was not a cyber-attack or data breach in Gloucestershire. — NHS Gloucestershire notice. source
Editor's note
The outage and the company’s administration are supported by NHS bodies and independent reporting. The article does not assume that all affected practices use the same replacement timetable.Sources
- Thousands of patients unable to access GPs online after collapse of tech firm — The Independent
- GP website disruption — NHS Gloucestershire
- Temporary issues affecting some GP practice websites — NHS Essex ICB
More on this in other media
- BBC News — „nhs gps”
- The Guardian — „nhs gps”
- Sky News — „nhs gps”