Earlier today, Google was reportedly blocking parts of the NHS network due to the sheer volume of peak time traffic, mistaking it for a botnet.
A member of an NHS Trust's IT department spoke to The Register and shared an email which confirmed that the US tech firm had block parts of the network.
The email stated: "Google is intermittently blocking access due to the amount of traffic from NHS Trusts Nationally (This is not being blocked by the IT Department).”
"This is causing Google to think it is suffering from a cyber-attack.”
"We are advising staff to use an alternative search engine i.e. Bing to bypass this problem.”
"If you have 'Chrome' on your desktop the page will display correctly but if you 'should' get a CAPTCHA pop up, please follow the instructions to continue."
The website's source said it was unsure why Google suddenly decided to block access to the NHS network, adding it is the "go-to resource" for a lot of clinicians.
The tech website said, “Google refused to comment but said: ‘It is not correct to say we have blocked the entire NHS network."'
NHS Digital told the Register: "We are aware of the current issue concerning NHS IP addresses which occasionally results in users being directed to a simple verification form when accessing Google.
