Microsoft outage disrupts police, airports, and hospitals in north-west England

A global Microsoft outage is disrupting workplaces and services across north-west England, affecting hospital emails, police reporting systems, airport corporate teams, and university services. Patients have been urged to attend appointments as normal despite the issues. Police forces in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, and Merseyside reported problems with online forms and live chat, advising people to call 101 for time-critical reports. Manchester and Liverpool airports said operational systems were unaffected, with only corporate processes impacted. NHS trusts reported email disruptions but confirmed hospital services continued as normal. The worldwide disruption began Thursday, caused by higher-than-usual stress on Microsoft's servers, affecting email, messaging, and AI software Copilot. Some criminal trials were delayed, with a judge at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court apologizing to a jury about reliance on computer systems. Pharmacies faced communication limits with GP practices, potentially lengthening prescription waits.