Global Microsoft Outage Affecting Pharmacies
Friday 13th November 2026
A massive, global Microsoft 365 outage is currently disrupting vital services worldwide.
CPE Guidance for Community Pharmacies
Because NHS.net is powered by Outlook, pharmacy teams are experiencing major delays in digital workflows, GP communications, and local commissioner updates. CPE has advised pharmacies to take the following actions:
- Pivot to Voice: Use traditional telephone lines for all urgent prescription queries or clinical updates rather than waiting on emails.
- Hold Non-Urgent IT Tickets: Do not flood IT helpdesks with connectivity tickets. Check public status pages first, or use the CPE Report It Portal if a unique local system fault needs reporting.
- Do Not Resend Emails: Avoid repeatedly sending the same emails, as this worsens server queues. Messages will filter through gradually as Microsoft stabilizes capacity.
- Activate Continuity Plans: Transition to local business continuity protocols, keeping manual records of affected services where necessary.
More information on CPE here.
Friday 13th November 2026
