Cyber disruption remains a growing risk across primary care, with incidents affecting access to clinical systems, prescribing, appointments and communication channels. NHS England is encouraging practices to strengthen their preparedness through a practical cybersecurity workshop taking place on 4 June 2026, from 11am to 12.30pm.
The workshop is specifically designed for primary care teams and focuses on what matters most during a cyber incident: maintaining patient safety, supporting clinical decision-making, keeping services running, and recovering safely.
Using a realistic cyber incident scenario, the session will explore the operational and clinical impacts practices may face during digital disruption, including:
- Loss of access to patient records
- Prescribing delays
- Communication challenges
- Staffing pressures and operational disruption
- Escalation routes and incident response responsibilities
The session is relevant for clinical, operational and managerial staff across primary care and offers an opportunity for practices to test their thinking around business continuity and incident response planning.
For GP partners and practice managers, participating in this type of exercise can also provide useful evidence that the practice is actively preparing for worst-case scenarios and testing its business continuity arrangements. Demonstrating that plans have been reviewed and exercised is increasingly important as practices continue to strengthen resilience against cyber threats.
Practices interested in attending should register by emailing england.jointcyberunit@nhs.net with:
- Your name
- Site name
- Your role within primary care
Given the increasing reliance on digital systems across general practice, exercises like this can help teams feel more confident making safe operational and clinical decisions under pressure while minimising disruption to patient care.