| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to outdated computer systems and lack of IT staff in NHS hospitals has happened again within the same organization. The report by Imperial College London highlighted that NHS hospitals are still vulnerable to cyber attacks due to outdated computer systems, lack of investment, and a gap in skills and awareness [93035]. This indicates a recurring issue within the NHS organization itself.
(b) The software failure incident related to incompatible computer systems and lack of data sharing among hospitals has also been observed at multiple organizations. The study found that 117 out of 152 NHS hospital trusts were using electronic records, with 79% using one of 21 different computer systems. This lack of compatibility among systems led to challenges in data sharing and potentially compromised patient safety [93035]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where it is highlighted that NHS hospitals are facing challenges due to outdated computer systems, lack of investment, and a gap in skills and awareness, which are threatening the health service [93035]. The report by Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation emphasized that the outdated computer systems and lack of investment are contributing factors to the vulnerability of NHS hospitals to cyber attacks, which can lead to medical staff being unable to access patient details and life-saving medical equipment not working properly.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the article where it is mentioned that hospitals and GPs often do not have the right information about the right patient in the right place at the right time, leading to errors and accidents that can threaten patients' lives [93035]. This indicates that the operation or misuse of the system, in this case, the lack of proper patient information sharing and compatibility issues between different computer systems used by hospitals, is contributing to potential failures in patient care and safety. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the NHS's electronic health records system is primarily within the system. The article highlights issues such as hospitals using different computer systems that are not compatible with each other, leading to difficulties in sharing patient information [93035]. This internal fragmentation and lack of standardization within the system contribute to failures in accessing and sharing crucial medical records, potentially endangering patient safety. Additionally, the outdated computer systems and lack of investment in IT infrastructure within the NHS pose significant risks, making the healthcare service vulnerable to cyber attacks [93035]. These internal system deficiencies underscore the need for urgent action to unify fragmented systems and promote better data sharing to enhance patient safety and data security. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The articles highlight that the NHS is facing risks to patient safety due to outdated computer systems, lack of investment, and a gap in skills and awareness, which are contributing factors introduced without direct human participation. These non-human actions include the use of incompatible computer systems in hospitals, leading to difficulties in sharing patient records and potentially fatal errors and accidents [93035].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The articles also mention that the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, criticized the NHS for its outdated IT systems and emphasized the need for better quality off-the-shelf computer software and improved collaboration among different organizations. This highlights that human actions, such as decisions regarding IT system procurement and implementation, have contributed to the software failure incident in the NHS [93035]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The articles mention that NHS hospitals are still vulnerable to cyber attacks due to outdated computer systems, lack of investment, and a gap in skills and awareness, which are contributing factors originating in hardware [93035].
(b) The software failure incident is related to the fragmented and incompatible computer systems being used in NHS hospitals, leading to challenges in data sharing and potentially compromising patient safety. This issue originates in software as it involves the lack of standardization and compatibility among the different IT systems being used [93035]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The articles mention a non-malicious software failure incident related to outdated computer systems, lack of investment, and a gap in skills and awareness threatening the NHS. The failure resulted in vulnerabilities to cyber attacks, leaving medical staff unable to access patient details, preventing life-saving medical equipment from working properly, and in some cases leading to patient data being stolen [93035].
(b) The articles also highlight non-malicious software failures related to the lack of standardization in IT systems used by NHS hospitals. Almost a quarter of hospitals still use paper records, and those that have switched to IT systems use almost two dozen different systems, leading to issues with sharing medical records and potentially fatal errors and accidents [93035]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the NHS computer systems can be attributed to poor decisions made in the past regarding the adoption and implementation of electronic health records. The articles highlight that almost a quarter of hospitals still use paper records, and those that have switched to IT systems have no standard, with almost two dozen different systems being used [93035]. Additionally, the study by Imperial College London found that the majority of NHS hospital trusts are using one of 21 different operating systems, many of which are not compatible with each other, leading to difficulties in sharing patient information [93035].
(b) The software failure incident can also be linked to accidental decisions or unintended consequences. The lack of standardization and compatibility among the different computer systems used in NHS hospitals has resulted in patients going to appointments at hospitals that do not have their records, potentially leading to errors and accidents that can threaten patients' lives [93035]. Lord Ara Darzi, co-director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation, emphasized the importance of addressing the emerging challenges in technology in healthcare to ensure the safety of patients [93035]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the NHS system as highlighted in the articles. The lack of standardization in IT systems with almost two dozen different systems being used in hospitals has led to issues such as patients going to appointments at hospitals without their records, potentially risking patient safety [93035]. Additionally, the report by Imperial College London emphasized the need for hospitals to improve sharing medical records to avoid fatal errors and accidents, indicating a lack of professional competence in managing and coordinating IT systems within the NHS.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is demonstrated in the vulnerability of NHS hospitals to cyber attacks despite lessons learned from previous incidents like the WannaCry hack. The report by Imperial College London highlighted that outdated computer systems, lack of investment, and a gap in skills and awareness are threatening the health service, making hospitals susceptible to cyber attacks that can disrupt access to patient details and medical equipment, as well as lead to data breaches [93035]. This accidental exposure to cyber threats due to inadequate security measures and technological readiness reflects a failure introduced accidentally. |
| Duration |
permanent, temporary |
The software failure incident reported in the articles can be categorized as both temporary and permanent.
Temporary: The articles highlight temporary software failures in the NHS due to outdated computer systems, lack of investment, and a gap in skills and awareness, which are threatening the health service [93035]. These temporary failures can lead to cyber attacks on hospitals, leaving medical staff unable to access patient details, prevent life-saving medical equipment from working properly, and in some cases lead to patient data being stolen.
Permanent: The articles also mention permanent software failures in the NHS related to the lack of standardization and compatibility issues with different computer systems being used in hospitals. Almost a quarter of hospitals still use paper records, and those that have switched to IT systems have no standard, with almost two dozen different systems being used [93035]. This lack of standardization and compatibility can lead to errors, accidents, and potentially fatal consequences for patients due to the inability to share medical records seamlessly between hospitals and healthcare settings.
Therefore, the software failure incident in the NHS can be seen as both temporary and permanent based on the contributing factors introduced by certain circumstances (temporary) and all circumstances (permanent). |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, other |
(a) crash: The articles mention that NHS hospitals are still vulnerable to cyber attacks, which can leave medical staff unable to access patient details or prevent life-saving medical equipment from working properly [93035].
(b) omission: The report by Imperial College London highlighted that there were 11 million occasions last year on which patients went to appointments at hospitals that didn't have their records, indicating an omission in the system's function to provide necessary patient information [93035].
(c) timing: The articles do not specifically mention any instances of timing failures related to software incidents.
(d) value: The articles do not specifically mention any instances of value failures related to software incidents.
(e) byzantine: The articles do not specifically mention any instances of byzantine failures related to software incidents.
(f) other: The articles discuss the challenges of fragmented computer systems in NHS hospitals, lack of compatibility between different systems, and the need for urgent action to unify systems and promote better data sharing to avoid errors and accidents that can threaten patients' lives [93035]. |