Plan in works to restore QEH services after cybersecurity incident

Management of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) says a team that includes cyber security experts are developing a plan to restore the healthcare institution’s services and guard against future attacks, following a cyber security incident earlier this week.

In a statement on Thursday confirming that operations had been impacted for the third straight day as a result of the breach of its Internet network, the QEH said the focus has been on service continuity and preparing for restored connectivity.

“While our IT [information technology] team continues to focus on containment and threat analysis, a small team comprising of management, cyber security experts and our telecoms provider developed a plan for restoring services and safeguarding against future incidents,” it said.

It added that while the island’s lone public hospital “has the necessary on-site and off-island back up of our systems” it remained disconnected from the Internet to minimise the fallout from the breach on Tuesday.

“This disconnection continues to result in some disruption and delays in our services,” it said.

However, the QEH said it continued to provide the best possible service under the circumstances.

On Wednesday, the hospital’s executive chairman Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland said the healthcare institution was forced to temporarily halt appointments in its Radiology Department, stop dispensing medication for new prescriptions at outpatient clinics and Accident and Emergency Department (A&E), and pause home delivery of medications as a result of the incident.

The QEH has apologised for the disruption and thanked members of the public for their patience and understanding. (PR/BT)