NHS patients affected by cyber-attack may face six-month wait for blood test

Only urgent' tests to go ahead in short term after hospitals in south-east London hit by Russian gang's seizure of data

Patients denied a blood test because of a Russian cyber-attack on the NHS may have to wait up to six months to have their sample taken, the Guardian has learned.

The delays are so long that some patients have decided to pay to have their blood taken and analysed by a private clinic rather than remain on the NHS waiting list.