Microsoft outage causing issues for Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde councils and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals
Organisations across the world have been left without access to emails, Teams, AI assistant Copilot, and the tech giant said it was working with “urgency” to resolve the problem.
Councils and NHS services across Blackpool and the Fylde coast are among those affected as a result of the ongoing global Microsoft outage.
Organisations across the world have been left without access to emails, Teams, AI assistant Copilot, and the tech giant said it was working with “urgency” to resolve the problem.
The problem developed on Thursday evening and has showed no signs of letting up today.
The Government is “engaging with Microsoft” on getting systems back online, defence minister Luke Pollard has said.
On its Microsoft 365 status page, the firm said: “We are seeing early signs of stabilisation, but service capacity has not yet returned to normal levels and health remains variable as traffic is carefully reintroduced.”
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Blackpool Victoria Hospital, said their “clinical and community-based services continue as normal, but you may experience a delay if you are trying to contact us by email”.
Lancashire Police reported problems with its emails but said it’s online crime reporting forms were working as normal.
While Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said they were unable to access the responses to the contact forms hosted on their website.
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A spokesman for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We’re currently experiencing issues with our email systems at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals due to the global Microsoft outage.
“Our clinical and community-based services continue as normal, but you may experience a delay if you are trying to contact us by email.
“Please continue to attend any appointments you may have unless you are contacted by us directly.
“NHS services remain busy. Please ensure you use the right service to access care, such as your GP, local pharmacy, walk-in centre or Accident and Emergency if you need urgent help.”
A Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “The Service has been largely unaffected by the global Microsoft outage.
“Our mobilising system is working as normal but we are currently unable to access the responses to the contact forms hosted on our website.
“If you need to get in touch with us about a non-emergency issue, you can ring 01772 862545.”
All three of the Fylde coast’s local authorities are experiencing the same problems.
A Blackpool Council spokesman said: “A Microsoft outage is impacting Outlook and Teams services globally. Our essential services remain unaffected, though.
“Residents can continue to contact us via our website, or by telephone for any urgent matters. Our telephone systems are operational, ensuring essential services like Vitaline's alarm systems and care scheduling are operating as usual, and social care teams are still contactable.
|”No major outages have been seen or reported across our core IT infrastructure. Our IT system are investigating and working to resolve all issues.
“Please be patient if you're expecting an email from our teams today, though. Thank you for your understanding.”
A spokesman from Wyre Council said: “We're currently experiencing some disruption to our online services due to global issues affecting Microsoft.
“Unfortunately, this means we're temporarily unable to process requests relating to missed bin collections, bulky waste bookings and resident parking permits.
“Our phone lines remain open as usual if you need to get in touch with us.
“We'll provide you with an update as soon as services are back up and running.”
While a Fylde Council spokesman issued the following advice: “Due to the global Microsoft outage, we’re currently unable to pick up emails sent to our customer services team or notifications from online form submissions.
“If you need to get in touch, our customer service team is still available by phone on 01253 658658.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience this causes and will share updates as soon as we have them.”
In an early morning post to its Facebook page, Fleetwood High School alerted parents and pupils to the outage that is affecting email communication at the school, advising anyone needing an urgent reply to contact the school office.
The Microsoft outage is stopping 111 and 999 from referring patient details as they usually would, GMB Union has claimed.
The issue is creating a “massive backlog” though emergency callouts “appear to be unaffected”.
Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary, said: “The Microsoft data outage is having a serious impact across ambulance and NHS trusts.
“Those who work in 111 and 999 services are unable to refer patient details in the normal way which is creating a massive backlog and has the potential for chaos.
“Luckily emergency and life threatening call outs appear to be unaffected.”
The Government is “engaging with Microsoft” on getting systems back online, defence minister Luke Pollard has said.
Mr Pollard said the Microsoft outage demonstrated the need for “greater resilience” against technology failures.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We are looking carefully at the outages that Microsoft systems are experiencing.
“The teams at DCMS who lead for the Government, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, lead our digital work, and they are engaging with Microsoft as they have been to look at how we get systems back online, what the impact is on the wider economy.
“But for me this reinforces the need for greater resilience.
“My appetite for disruption when it comes to using my phone is virtually zero. I imagine that’s the case for every one of your listeners, that people want it to work all the time, every time, and we’re seeing more disruption from those tech companies.
“That’s partly because we’ve become more dependent on technology.”
Microsoft said it was seeing “early signs of stabilisation” in its efforts to resolve a global outlook affecting Outlook and Teams.
In its latest Microsoft 365 status page update, it said: “We are seeing early signs of stabilisation, but service capacity has not yet returned to normal levels and health remains variable as traffic is carefully reintroduced
“Our primary mitigation path continues to focus on service stability and controlled recovery.”
It added: “As part of this effort, we are extending the email timeout window to 48 hours to help protect delayed messages while service recovery continues.”
NHS bosses warned there may be delays to some patients getting their prescriptions due to the outage.
A spokesperson for the National Pharmacy Association said: “We are aware of the disruption impacting pharmacies today, including access to NHS email systems, due to national issues with Microsoft.
“This affects a pharmacy’s ability to communicate with GP practices and some patients.
“Please bare with your pharmacy teams today, where waits may be longer than normal and there may be delays to some prescriptions.”