Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on reports that NHS England has been hit by a cyber-attack, said:

“This cyber-attack is terrible news and a real worry for patients. Our hard-working NHS staff are already operating under unprecedented pressure and should be given every support to help the public in the face of these malicious and disturbing actions.

“This incident highlights the risk to data security within the modern health service and reinforces the need for cyber security to be at the heart of government planning. The digital revolution has transformed the way we live and work but we have to be ready for the vulnerabilities it brings too.  

“The Government need to be clear about what’s happened, and what measures they are taking to reduce the threat to patients. The safety of the public must be the priority and the NHS should be given every resource to bring the situation under control as soon as possible.“