The key facts

  • Several UK government departments and the NHS faced disruptions due to a global Microsoft outage
  • The main problem is sending and receiving email
  • The search and rescue service and public safety functions are operating without interruption

Departments report disruptions to email and services

Several UK government agencies and the National Health Service (NHS) on Friday experienced new technical problems linked to a global Microsoft outage. The departments said they continue to feel the effects of the outage, Anadolu reports.

What exactly is not working

The Insolvency Service reported problems sending and receiving email; the Adjudicator's Office was also affected. Ofsted asked people not to send messages to its address because it cannot receive them. The Security Industry Authority noted that the outage affected some of its systems: licences are still being issued, revoked and suspended, but response times may be longer than usual. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency also reported email difficulties, stressing that search and rescue services are unaffected. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reported similar problems, clarifying that its phone lines are working and public safety duties are being carried out without interruption.

NHS activates contingency measures

The NHS said the outage is having a 'service-disrupting' impact on its services. According to a spokesperson, local NHS organisations are activating long-standing contingency plans for IT outages so that critical services and patient appointments continue. Thus, despite the scale of the problems with email and individual systems, the departments emphasise that key functions are being maintained — from rescue operations to medicines safety oversight.