Delay to Manx Care dental services after cyber attack

Manx Care was due to manage the dental surgery for an initial 12 months

The reintroduction of services at a dental practice taken over by Manx Care have been delayed due to a cyber attack on a planned software provider.

Regent Health Services handed back its contract for Hillside Dental in Douglas last year.

Manx Care had been due to take over the surgery from 1 December, but patients can still only access emergency appointments.

A new system provider is being sought, a spokesman said.

'Sensitive information'

He said staffing issues at the practice had been addressed but the preparations for the takeover had included the introduction of a new IT system to manage patient bookings and dental treatment records.

The team was notified the week prior to the takeover that "the new software provider had experienced a serious cyber attack, which to date has still not been resolved".

"This means that if Manx Care were to allow the company access to its data, it could pose a serious threat to the security of sensitive patient information within our organisation," he said.

Systems previously in place had been "specific to the private provider" and so could not continue to be used.

The spokesman added: "Manx Care and the team at Hillside apologise that they have been unable to start operating services as quickly as hoped, and trust that patients will understand the importance of protecting their data."

Emergency dental services being offered on behalf of the practice are based at the Community Dental Service at the Central Community Health Centre on Westmoreland Road in Douglas.

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