Hospital declares critical incident after system failure hits cancer units

18 June 2024 , 15:53

1524     0

Royal Surrey Hospital has declared critical incident (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)

Royal Surrey Hospital has declared a critical incident and been forced to cancel appointments after a key system failure.

Cancer units in Guildford and Redhill are among the centres impacted, with some patients having their appointments cancelled. It is understood that teams at the Royal Surrey County Hospital are working to fix the issue. The NHS Trust said it has contacted patients affected.

A spokesperson for the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust confirmed: “This afternoon (June 18) we have declared a critical incident in our Radiotherapy Department due to the loss of our operating system. This is impacting both the Cancer Centre at Royal Surrey County Hospital and the unit we operate at Redhill.”

Cancer units in Guildford and Redhill are among the centres impacted (ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The Trust continued: “Our teams are working hard to fix the issue but unfortunately we have had to cancel a number of planned appointments. All patients affected have been contacted and will have their appointments rescheduled as soon as possible. We apologise for the disruption.”

According to the NHS, a 'critical incident' occurs when the level of disruption results in the organisation temporarily or permanently losing its ability to deliver critical services. Patients may be harmed or the environment may not be deemed safe, and may require special measures and support from other agencies, to restore normal operating functions.

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The Royal Surrey cancer unit has received national and international recognition and praise, with patients benefitting from the latest and innovative treatments available in the UK. It serves locals, but it is also a regional referral centre for the South East and, in some cases, nationally. In 2021, roughly 8,500 people were treated for cancer at the Royal Surrey's St Luke's cancer centre.

Royal Surrey Hospital says it treats around 336,000 outpatients a year, while roughly 90,000 patients are admitted for treatment. The Trust has offered reassurance to patients who have not been contacted, saying they should attend their appointments as usual, but anyone who is concerned about their treatment should contact the radiotherapy department on 01483 406 600.

Zahra Khaliq