Tories cut security support for outdated NHS computers a year ago despite warnings of vulnerability to hackers

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The Tories cut security support for the NHS’s outdated computer system a year ago, despite warnings it would leave hospitals open to hackers , it was claimed.

The Government Digital Service, set up by David Cameron , decided not to extend a £5.5million one-year support deal with Microsoft for Windows XP.

NHS bosses were told to replace the 14-year-old system or take out a separate deal with Microsoft.

An April 2014 letter from the Cabinet Office and Department of Health to health­care chiefs read: “It is imperative your organisation understands the risk placed on it should the decision be not to take out a [new Microsoft deal].

"Integral is consid­ering your... migration roadmap from XP and identify risk exposure and timeframes.”

Ben Gummer, the minister now in charge of GDS, himself warned last year of the risk “large quantities of sensitive data” held by the NHS was being targeted by hackers.

He and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt face angry questions over how systems were left so apparently poorly defended.

GDS said at the time: “All departments have had seven years’ warning of the 2014 end of normal support and this one-year agreement was put together... to give everyone a chance to get off XP.”

Last night experts said NHS staff were “crushed” by lack of organisational understanding and money.

A Sky News probe found seven NHS trusts spent nothing on cyber security in 2015.