[BBC] – NHS services across England have been hit by IT failure, believed to be caused by a large-scale cyber-attack.

Trusts and hospitals in London, Blackburn, Nottingham, Cumbria and Hertfordshire have been affected.

GPs are resorting to using pen and paper, according to the Blackpool Gazette newspapers, and phone and IT systems have been shut down.

NHS England says they are aware of the issue and are looking into it. Among those affected is the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust which says it is experiencing problems with computers and phone systems.

It has postponed all non-urgent activity today and is asking people not to come to A&E at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage. IT specialists are working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible, a statement from the Trust says.

Also affected is Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Trust which says it has shut down all of its IT systems following a ‘secure system attack’.