A cyber-attack on the NHS is affecting hospitals and GP surgeries across England and in Scotland
Ransomware software that locks computers, demanding payment, is being seen on screens
Theresa May says the NHS incident is part of a wider cyber-attack affecting organisations around the world
Similar infections are reported by Spanish utility firms, and in the US, China, Russia, Italy, Vietnam and Taiwan
Up to 28 NHS organisations in England are said to have been affected, as well as five GP surgeries in Scotland
GPs reported to be using pen and paper in some areas
Some hospitals are diverting patients
Steve Thompson, Waterloo Medical Centre, Blackpool says:
“I’m in the middle of surgery.
"We’re just writing prescriptions by hand now. It’s a bit like A&E days.
"My hand is sore!
"I couldn’t connect with our IT system at around midday.
"We’ve been told not to use any IT system yet. We’ve had no updates.
"Our patients have been very understanding.”
Although the cyber-attack has appeared to be targeted on NHS services in England, four GP practices in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area report that they have experienced disruption to their computer systems.
Other NHS services in that area remain unaffected.
If you have an outpatient appointment at Southport and Ormskirk hospitals tomorrow, the NHS Trust says please do not attend. They say they will phone patients on Monday to rearrange.
People are also being told to avoid A&E if it is possible and safe to do so.
Ormskirk Hospital switchboard is currently unavailable but patients can contact wards via their direct lines.
Are you an NHS worker who has been affected by the cyber-attack? Are you a patient whose operation or treatment has been cancelled?
We want to hear from you. Tell us what is happening where you are.
Contact us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
The BBC understands up to 25 NHS organisations and some doctors' surgeries have been affected by the cyber-attack.
Stephen Hirst, GP at a Primary Care Practice in New Hall Lane, Preston:
“Around 2:30pm all terminals started to show the error message warning that we’d have to pay money to unlock the computer because it’s been encrypted. It’s compromising having to open files and complete prescriptions.
"It’s interfering with day-to-day functioning.
"We’re managing. It’s not too bad for us at the moment.
"We’ve been advising people that, if they can wait, not to come down.
"I’m carrying on with a small surgery.
"I’m just with a small child at the moment.
"We’re doing OK. It’s ticking over.
"If we can delay things until things get sorted that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio
A senior manager at East and North Herts NHS Trust has told the BBC the trust became aware of the cyber attack problems at about 11:30.
He said patients at its hospitals were being risk-assessed, with ambulances being sent elsewhere.
He believed the problems could last all weekend and it was looking at using older phones as a form of contact.
Image source, East and North Herts NHS TrustI am a practice manager in St. Helens, Merseyside and this has also affected the whole of St. Helens and Knowsley Trust and Liverpool. We have been advised that it may not be fixed by Monday and we have been told NOT to shut our computers down tonight as this is how they are getting in.
Although this has been reported as a cyber-attack on NHS services in England, there are some services in Scotland that have told of being affected.
The health boards in Dumfries and Galloway and Forth Valley say that they have taken steps to minimise the risk of the problem spreading.
Here is a list of the hospitals that we know are affected:
We'll keep it updated as we get more information
Recovery experts Databarracks says it is a type of malware that prevents access to certain parts of your system unless you pay a ransom to the attacker.
Ransomware encrypts data and system files by exploiting a security vulnerability or back door.
If a payment is not made in time, the attacker can destroy the decryption key and any compromised data will be permanently lost and you will be unable to retrieve it.
Peterborough Hospital is unaffected by the cyber-attack but has suspended its website and email systems as a precaution.
Anon: I'm a nurse in a hospital in Yorkshire. We were told to disconnect all computers, which we did, we've also been told our door entry and heating systems may also not work. Our directorate is possibly calling a major incident. Some of our equipment is internally networked and that function has been disabled, but we are still able to use them eg blood sugar metres and ventilators. Kettle still working, so we'll be OK!
Patient Ron Grimshaw tells the BBC of what happened to him in the past few hours at the Lister Hospital in East Herts. He says:
"I was in the middle of a MRI scan which was suddenly terminated and I was taken out of the machine.
"I was told of the suspected cyber-attack.
"I was told to wait to see if the systems could be restored but that turned out to be not possible so I had to get dressed and return home, 15 miles away,to await a possible message to return to complete the examination.
"I also had cancel a X-Ray appointment that I was due to have there today."
Spanish broadband provider Telefonica says some of its employees in Madrid have been affected by a similar cyber-attack today.
A statement says: "Immediately, the security protocol for this type of incidents has been activated with the intention that the affected computers operate normally as soon as possible."
Alessio De Luca is a technician in the Cardiology Dept at Colchester General Hospital. He sent in this picture:
“We were working and all the computers went down. My job involves performing scans on patients and because the computers were stuck we were unable to report the scans. We had to start doing it with pen and paper.”
“The whole hospital is affected. There have been long delays. My colleagues in admin staff were completely unable to work.”
Image source, Alessio De LucaThe Patients Association condemned the criminals behind the cyber-attack on the NHS but said lessons from earlier incidents had not been learned.
"We should be clear that responsibility for today's apparently extensive attack on NHS IT systems, and for any harm that occurs to patients as a result, lies with the criminals who have perpetrated it.
"From reports so far, the attack appears to have been highly co-ordinated and aggressive and a police investigation will no doubt be required.
"However, that something of this sort could happen will surprise few people.
"It has long been known that the NHS struggles with IT in multiple respects and that this includes serious security problems. Though today's may be the largest attack of this sort, it is not the first - yet the lessons from earlier incidents have not been learnt.
"The power of IT in transforming services for patients is undoubted, yet the NHS has struggled to harness it: centralised approaches have failed badly, while smaller scale local projects can easily give rise to huge variations in both quality and security. We are seeing today that IT security is critical to patient safety.
"In this election period, we must look to our political parties for leadership - now is not the time to be squeamish about the cost of keeping our NHS secure."
Update from emergency unit:
I'm a general med doctor in the emergency acute dept. Phones and PCs down at West Middlesex Hospital.
Nurse Helen Barrow from Littleborough, Lancashire, found this icon on her desktop.
Image source, PADr W emails:
"I'm a GP in Suffolk we've had similar problems here, with all IT systems shut down.
"We're only able to see emergencies, as all data is now on computers.
"There is a safety issue when managing patients without computers!
"As always we have broad shoulders and will persevere!!"