Hundreds of GP practices lose online services after tech firm collapse

BBC reported that patients in many parts of England and Wales are unable to access their GP surgeries online following the collapse of Silicon Practice, a tech firm providing digital services to nearly 500 practices.

The affected services include websites, online booking, and consultations, impacting just under 10% of GP practices in England. Areas such as London, Gloucestershire, and Norfolk have reported problems, with services in Wales also affected.

GP leaders warned that the disruption would be significant given that over 40% of GP appointments are currently booked online, and since last year, all practices in England have been required to offer online booking.

Patients in affected areas are being advised to make appointments by phone, and NHS England has contacted the impacted practices with guidance to maintain business continuity and minimize patient care impact. The NHS app remains operational.

Silicon Practice had offered a digital tool called FootFall, designed to reduce patient phone calls by 30% and improve reception team efficiency, with over 1,000 GP practices having used it across the UK.