UK Microsoft outage disrupts hospitals, GP surgeries, police, and schools

A global Microsoft outage is causing serious disruption to hospitals, GP surgeries, police forces, schools, and universities across the UK, with NHS staff unable to access email and IT systems needed for healthcare delivery. The NHS is experiencing widespread disruption, with patients warned of possible delays in receiving prescriptions. Police forces including the Metropolitan and South Wales reported affected systems, while pharmacies face significant impacts on patient waiting times for medicines. Microsoft says the issue is not a cyber-attack. The problems began Thursday afternoon, affecting Outlook and other services worldwide. Microsoft reported early signs of stabilisation Friday morning, while government engineers work with the company to assess the impact. The outage has highlighted concerns about dependence on technology, with some NHS meetings cancelled and organisations urging patients to use phones instead of email.