NHS Appraisal site back online

The Department of Health has restored the NHS Appraisal Toolkit website which was taken offline last month after routine checks revealed it could be vulnerable to hackers.

The website was suspended by the DH after it said the nine year old system “was not sufficiently robust to withstand modern day hacking." The DH said ministers were now satisfied that the toolkit could be safely restored.

The site is used by GPs and other NHS staff as part of their annual appraisals. The DH asked primary care trusts to extend the completion dates for appraisals and ensure doctors were not penalised following the closure of the website.

In a statement issued on Thursday the DH said: “The Department is aware that this is a busy period for doctors undertaking appraisal activity.

"During the last three weeks, it has been working closely with the provider to ensure that all potential vulnerabilities have been addressed with the intention of restoring the toolkit as soon as possible.”

The DH said further security checks had been undertaken and the findings had been shared with an expert panel including members nominated by the RCGP and the BMA.

The statement added: “The system will continue to be reviewed in line with the government’s Data Handling Review to ensure its robustness and to preserve the confidentiality of staff and patient data.”

The BMA’s General Practitioner Committee has demanded that any extra costs incurred as a result of the closure by either appraisers or GPs having their appraisals should be met in full.