Most NHS Computers Still Haven’t Switched to Windows 10

Operating Systems in NHS

At present, Windows 7 is still the preferred operating system for more than one million users in NHS and most NHS computers haven’t switched to Windows 10. The popularity of Windows 10 seems to have no impact on this situation. However, some Congressmen believe there are potential risks behind this situation.

According to the words from Platt MP, shadow cabinet office minister, the problem doesn’t lie in the operating system itself but in fact that it is approaching the end because Microsoft ends to support it. And Microsoft has announced that it won’t support Windows 7 on January 14, 2020. However, NHS computers haven’t updated to Windows 10 still, which makes the matter worse.

“In less than six months before Windows 7 support expires, it is a matter of deep concern that more than one million NHS computers, more than three-quarters of the total NHS IT area, are still using this operating system,” she says.

Measures to Fix Windows 7 Support Timebomb

On the other hand, MP Jacqueline Doyle-Price said that the Windows 10 migration process is going smoothly. She wrote: “All NHS organizations except organizations that have upgraded to Windows 10, have registered to receive Windows 10 licenses and advanced threat protection.”

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The deployment of Windows 10 is progressing well, in line with the goal to ensure that when Windows 7 loses support in 2020, the NHS is running on supported software.

Some computers belonging to NHS are still applying Windows XP, and it’s hard to determine when they might be updated for that the operating system is embedded in some machines, Doyle-Price said.

However, though Doyle-Price implied that MHS will stop using Windows 7 before the deadline in 2020, the government chose not to reply her another question that whether they are negotiating with Microsoft on the custom support for Windows 7 after 2020. But if the negotiation succeeds, NHS PCs not on Windows 10 is not serious for temporary.

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The government also faces further criticism for a minority of NHS machines still run Windows XP, which have lost support from Microsoft five years ago.

Even though there are risks to run those Windows XP computers, Doyle-Price still claimed that it is impossible to delete the timetable completely on all the NHS computers.

“This is because the deletion is not always effective especially when Windows XP is embedded into medical devices.” she wrote.  

All the NHS organizations have obtained the guide on how to reduce risks. If they are still unable to delete Windows XP completely from properties, for instance, they can isolate the affected machines from the network. Besides, they even can contact NHS Digital to acquire some advice and support to decrease risks.

The Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) of NHS provide additional management, monitor and risk mitigation, she said.

The cabinet office confirmed that the government didn’t focus on tracking the number of Windows XP computers operated in public departments.

In fact, UK is not the only one that has the problem of public bodies still using the operating system long after the support ends. In 2015, the US Navy agreed to pay Microsoft millions of dollars to continue to support Windows XP post-2014.