UK Microsoft outage hits GPs, police, and pharmacies

A global Microsoft outage is disrupting GP surgeries, police forces, and pharmacies across the UK, with some services urging the public to use phone calls instead of online forms. The issue, caused by unexpectedly high server stress, has affected platforms like Outlook, Teams, and Copilot, but major airports and intelligence services remain unaffected. The government is assessing the impact on its systems, while some teachers have also reported access problems. Cyber-security experts have ruled out a cyber-attack, comparing the server strain to a motorway traffic jam. They are using the incident to highlight the need for contingency communication networks independent of major providers.