THE new computer system serving the NHS has crashed forcing staff across the region to revert to pen and paper.
The system - called Connecting for Health - and its back-up went down at 10am on Sunday.
About 2,000 patients in Greater Manchester were affected as experts battled to restore it.
It has crippled the new theatre management and appointment-booking system, forcing staff to make provisional appointments by checking paper lists, which will have to be confirmed by computer, once the problem is resolved.
Health bosses say the crash has not caused any medical emergencies and has not prevented doctors looking up computerised medical records.
A spokesman for NHS North West, said: "We have managed the impact as best we can."
Pennine Care Mental Health Trust, Bolton Hospitals, North Cheshire Hospitals and South Manchester Primary Care Trust, which runs clinics at Withington Community Hospital, were said to be the worst hit in this region.
At Bolton, the theatre management systems have also been hit. The software tracks details of all surgical procedures - even down to which scalpels are used for each operation and where and when they are cleaned.
Problem
A spokesman for South Manchester PCT, said: "The hospital does have a paper-based system in place as a back-up in case of such an event and this worked well meaning disruption to patients has been minimal.
"Regrettably, it will mean a backlog of work for our administrative staff once the system is restored."
The problem is thought to be confined to the administration side of the new multi-billion pound NHS Programme for IT, which is aimed at linking more than 30,000 GPs to nearly 300 hospitals by 2014.
The new service will eventually include an online booking system, a centralised medical records system for 50 million patients, e-prescriptions and fast computer network links between NHS bodies.
A spokesman for the British Medical Association said: "Unfortunately, I'm not surprised. The government has a sad history of IT projects going wrong.
"They should now conduct an independent audit or face the risk of a complete disaster. The current plans are a recipe for disaster and are costing millions at a time when the service is under huge financial pressure."
Experts from CSC Alliance and its sub-contractor Hitachi, which have the contract to implement the system in the north west have been "working round the clock to restore access."
A spokesman for the group that runs the system in the region, Connecting for Health North West, said: "We regret the inconvenience this has caused and are committed to resolving it as soon as possible."
Comments
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I don't think 'chaos' is an accurate reflection of the situation. Yes, some systems have temporarily been affected but contingency plans are in place in all organisations and experienced and skilled staff swiftly adapted to the situation. Yes, there will be an admin backlog that will need to be resolved, however, patient care has not been affected. I think more of an acknowledgment of how well staff have coped and worked to avoid disruption of patient care wouldn't go amiss.
Was this written by EDS? Outsourced for cost I beleive?
I agree wholeheartedly with the previous comment. To say "2000 patients were affected" is inaccurate. NO patients were affected, patient RECORDS were affected, but full plans were in place to cope with this. Inaccurate reporting doesn't help.
I agree, Chaos is not the right word. It is inconvenient but not all that bad. that back log will be done by the end of today.
The sytem is now working..
Hmmnnn
Looks like the Labour spin doctors are out again judging by the previous comments.