NHS England hides public software amid AI hacking fears

AI Summary

NHS England has decided to move all its open-source software into private storage due to fears that AI models could potentially be used to compromise NHS systems. This new policy could have significant implications for the use of open-source technology in healthcare.

NHS England has taken the drastic step of moving all its open source software into private storage, citing concerns that AI models such as Mythos could be used to hack NHS systems.The new policy, in place from 11 May, applies “unless there is an explicit and exceptional need, and public access has been formally approved [by NHS England],” it said in guidance to staff.1Open source code is software that is made publicly available so that anyone can inspect and modify it2 and then share improvements without needing permission from the original author. NHS England data showed 2476 NHS open source repositories as of October 2025—containing code for projects ranging from data analysis to the NHS App.3Marcus Baw, locum GP and software developer, described open source software as being like a generic drug. “You patent a drug, it’s incredibly expensive for five to 20 years, then it’s generic and cheap,” he...