Coombe hospital warns of fake texts cancelling patient appointments

Patients of the Coombe maternity hospital in Dublin have received fake text messages, telling them their hospital appointments have been cancelled.

In a message posted on its website this morning, titled “Important Notice - HSE Cyberattack”, the hospital said: “We have been made aware of a text message that has been sent to some patients cancelling their appointments at the Coombe Hospital. This text is not from us.

“We have also been made aware of patients being phoned and asked for their PPSN, please notify your local Garda station and please also let us know.”

The hospital said anyone who has an appointment this week should ring the hospital the day before their appointment, in order to minimise delays when they arrive.

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The hospital said it are unable to receive or send external emails at this time, and patients should call the hospital if their query is urgent.

It has not been confirmed yet if these fake text messages are related to the ongoing ransomware attack on the HSE’s IT systems, which have led to severe disruption in the health service, as well as an increase in scam phone calls and fears of patient data being released online.

The HSE and the Coombe hospital were contacted for comment.