Regional AM Eluned Morgan asked the Welsh Government in the Assembly last week for assurances about the security of the IT infrastructure in Wales. Speaking in the Senedd last week, Eluned Morgan said it was essential to ensure the IT system is protected, to ensure the continuity of care for Welsh patients following the cyber-attacks in the NHS in England.
The Labour Mid and West Assembly Member said, “I think it’s worth noting that the impact is not just one of disruption and inconvenience; this actually, potentially, has life-changing and life-threatening consequences.
“If you think about the impact on individuals waiting for scans for cancer treatments, I think the impact could be incalculable and such an attack by cyber terrorists is morally, I think, indefensible”.
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Vaughan Gething agreed saying, “Here in Wales we must continue to be vigilant to ensure that our systems are as resilient as possible against future attacks on the network, which are, sadly, inevitable.”
Eluned Morgan went on to acknowledge the efforts of the NHS Wales Informatics Service and the IT teams across the whole of the NHS in Wales, thanking them and saying,
“That’s not to say that we should be complacent—it may happen again—but they protected us on this occasion and I think we should salute them”.