GP websites go offline as software firm collapses
What happened to GP websites
NHS England has written to GP practices warning of risks to patient information and continuity of service after a website provider collapsed. Silicon Practice Digital Health Solutions, owned by Schappit Ltd, provided appointment booking and prescription services for more than 1,000 surgeries, according to Digital Health. Reports say some GP websites went offline completely after the firm ceased trading at 5.30pm on 27 October 2026, leaving patients unable to request appointments, view test results or submit medical forms online.
An administrator, Richard Paul Rendle, was appointed to Schappit Ltd on 16 October 2026. NHS England chief technology officer Kevin Humphries wrote to practices and integrated care boards setting out steps to preserve historical patient information that had not been moved into clinical systems, manage online consultation backlogs, and identify alternative channels for patient access until new online systems are available.
What practices have been told to do
Practices were advised to consider whether they have a legal obligation to tell the Information Commissioner’s Office if the availability, integrity, confidentiality or recoverability of personal data is affected. Integrated care boards, which are responsible for GP IT arrangements, are expected to support practices in finding replacement services. One emergency response provider, Simply Primary Care, said it had restored 30 GP practice websites within 48 hours so they could share information and direct patients to links.
Patients affected should contact their practice directly by phone or in person if online services are unavailable, and should not assume an online form has been received. The incident raises wider questions about due diligence for suppliers on government frameworks, which Schappit Ltd joined in July 2026.
Sources: The Register, “NHS quango warns of risk to GP patient data after website vendor collapse”; Digital Health, “NHSE warns of risk to GP patient data after software firm’s collapse”.
