Hundreds of UK GP Practices Lose Online Services Following Silicon Practice Collapse
More than 400 general practitioner practices across England and Wales have ceased to provide online patient services following the abrupt collapse of Silicon Practice. The firm, which facilitated essential digital platforms for patient engagement, entered insolvency on 22nd May. This move has immediately cut off services, including online appointment scheduling, repeat prescription requests, and the submission of digital consultation forms, for an estimated 3.5 million patients.
Dr. Paul Williams, former Labour MP and a practising GP in Stockton-on-Tees, stated that his surgery's online services, used by approximately 15,000 patients, became inoperable without warning. The sudden cessation has forced staff to manage patient requests manually, significantly increasing administrative burden.
Silicon Practice, founded by Dr. Simon Addison, was acquired by its rival, Accurx, in August 2023. Accurx confirmed Silicon Practice's insolvency, asserting that it had no prior knowledge of the impending financial difficulties. The company is now actively assisting affected surgeries in migrating to alternative providers, though this process is expected to cause considerable disruption for patients and staff in the interim.
This incident underscores the fragility of essential public services reliant on private tech providers, particularly when consolidation within the sector can lead to such widespread vulnerability. The lack of redundancy or immediate handover protocols has left millions of patients without critical digital access, highlighting potential systemic weaknesses in the provision of primary care infrastructure.
