Two more Liverpool hospitals impacted by Alder Hey cyber attack

A cyber attack that hit Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has also impacted Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

Alder Hey was hit by a data breach on 28 November 2024 that lead to confidential information being published online and shared via social media.

An update from the trust, published on 4 December 2024, confirmed that the breach was caused by “a single cyber attack that has impacted three NHS organisations”.

“Criminals gained unlawful access to data through a digital gateway service shared by Alder Hey and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.

“This has resulted in the attacker unlawfully getting access to systems containing data from Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, and a small amount of data from Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

“We have launched an investigation which is still ongoing to determine the full facts around what data has been obtained unlawfully.”

It added that the attacker has claimed to have extracted data from impacted systems.

“Screenshots of data the attacker claims to have taken were published online last Thursday (28th November 2024).

“We are continuing to take this issue very seriously while investigations continue into whether the attacker has obtained confidential data.

“The investigation into the data may take some time, and there is a possibility that the attacker may publish the data before our investigation is concluded,” the statement said.

The trust added that hospital services remain unaffected and the incident is not linked to the incident at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which was hit by a cyber attack on 25 November 2024 that led to outpatient appointments being cancelled for several days.

In an update published on its website on 4 December 2024, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS FT said: “We are currently in the process of reinstating our main clinical system following the cyber security incident last week.

“As we work through our recovery the incident will be stepped down to a Business Continuity Incident.

“Some services will continue to be affected this week as systems are restored. Anyone with an outpatients appointment is advised to come to their appointment.”

It added that emergency treatment is being prioritised but there are still likely to be longer than usual waiting times in the Emergency Department and assessment areas.

Commenting on the cyber incidents, Dr Saif Abed, founding partner and director of cybersecurity advisory services at The AbedGraham Group, told Digital Health News: “Disruptive cyber-attacks are only going to increase throughout 2025.

“Trust leaders now face a stark choice: either invest in enhancing their cyber-resiliency or potentially be culpable for significant patient harm.

“Likewise government needs to get much tougher with the implementation of cyber-regulations.

“The NHS supply chain is broken. Too many suppliers are wilfully ignoring cybersecurity compliance standards and are a gateway for attacks against NHS trusts.

“It’s time for government to launch an independent inquiry into NHS cybersecurity and patient safety,” he said.