Hundreds of GP practice websites across England and Wales have gone offline after digital services provider Silicon Practice entered administration, disrupting patients’ access to online consultation forms and other practice services. The NHS GP website crash has affected surgeries in areas including London, Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire and Swansea.
NHS England has confirmed that practices using the provider Silicon Practice are affected, but says the majority of GP practice websites remain operational. Patients who cannot access their surgery’s website should contact the practice by phone or in person while alternative arrangements are put in place.
What Caused The NHS GP Website Crash?
The Administration of Silicon Practice provided website and digital services to GP practices across the UK. Its parent company, Schappit Ltd, filed a notice relating to administration earlier in October 2026 after facing financial difficulties, leading to the NHS GP website crash.
Silicon Practice said it served around 1,000 websites for GP practices. Its collapse has left some surgeries without functioning websites, with patients encountering error messages when attempting to access them.
NHS England said fewer than 10% of its more than 6,000 GP practices had been affected. The precise number of affected practices has not been confirmed.
Which GP Services Are Affected by the NHS Website Outage?
Reports from affected areas indicate that the disruption extends beyond website homepages. Some patients cannot access online GP consultation requests, contact forms, chatbots and other digital functions linked to Silicon Practice.
Practices in London, Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire and Swansea have reported problems. Swansea Bay University Health Board said it was aware of three practice websites that had ceased operating.
The NHS GP website crash does not mean every NHS digital service is unavailable. The impact varies between practices, and some patients can continue using alternative systems.
NHS Gloucestershire said GP practices remain open and appointments are unaffected. However, patients should check their own surgery’s updates for service-specific information.
What Should Patients Do Amid NHS GP Website Crash?
Patients experiencing the issue of the NHS GP website crash should follow the alternative contact arrangements provided by their surgery.
- Call or visit the practice: Contact the surgery directly if its website or online consultation form is unavailable.
- Check NHS App GP services: Some practices have confirmed that the NHS App and other approved systems remain available. Access depends on the practice and the service required.
- Follow prescription instructions: Contact the surgery using its stated procedure for repeat prescriptions, fit notes and other administrative requests.
- Check submitted requests: If an online form received no response, call the practice to confirm whether staff received it.
- Seek urgent medical help: Use NHS 111 online or call 111 when urgent medical advice is needed, following NHS guidance.
Amid the NHS GP website crash, patients may experience longer telephone waiting times because more people are contacting practices directly. NHS Gloucestershire has warned that staff could face higher call volumes and asked patients to treat practice teams with kindness and respect.
How Is NHS England Responding to Silicon Practice Administration?
NHS England said it had contacted affected practices with advice on maintaining services and limiting the impact on patient care.
Regional NHS organisations, including integrated care boards (ICBs), are working with practices to manage the disruption and identify alternative digital providers. ICBs coordinate healthcare services across local areas.
NHS England has asked affected practices to confirm their plans for maintaining service continuity with their relevant ICB. Regional digital teams are also providing oversight.
However, a confirmed date for restoring all affected websites is not established. Some practices have warned patients that the disruption could continue while they explore replacement options.
What Happens to GP Practices Affected By NHS Website Crash?
The immediate priority after the NHS GP website crash is to maintain patient access while surgeries arrange replacement websites and online consultation services. Practices also need to communicate clearly about which digital channels remain available and how patients should submit routine requests.
For patients, the most important step is to follow their surgery’s latest instructions and use alternative contact routes until affected services return.
NHS England has confirmed that most GP practice websites remain unaffected, but the duration and full extent of the disruption remain uncertain.
