Significant IT failure disrupts services at Southern Health Trust hospitals

Significant information technology problems at the Southern Health Trust forced the cancellation of appointments across its hospitals and community services on Wednesday and prompted ambulance diversions, the trust said.

The trust said priority was being given to emergency and critically ill patients while work continued to resolve the issues. Patients were warned not to attend scheduled appointments at any hospital or community site within the trust's area on Wednesday. People were also asked to avoid attending its hospitals and other sites unless the visit was urgent; patient visiting was still possible.

Ambulances were being diverted from some sites as staff worked to manage the impact on patient services. The trust covers multiple hospitals and care centres across counties Tyrone, Armagh and Down, including South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon, Craigavon Area Hospital, Lurgan Hospital, St Luke's Hospital in Armagh and Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.

The trust did not detail which IT systems were affected or give a timeline for full restoration in its initial notices. It said staff were taking steps to prioritise care and to contact patients with urgent needs. The guidance to postpone non-urgent appointments applied to both hospital and community services across the trust area.

Health organisations have reported in recent years that failures in electronic systems can affect scheduling, prescription writing, imaging and access to patient records; contingency plans typically include triage by clinical teams, paper-based recordkeeping and ambulance rerouting where necessary. The trust's immediate actions reflect standard emergency procedures designed to maintain care for the most unwell patients while limiting additional pressure on services.

Officials advised patients with urgent medical needs to seek care through normal emergency routes or to contact their GP if unsure. The trust said it would provide further updates as repairs progressed and additional information became available about rescheduled appointments and any impacts on planned care.