Hackers could invade the UK’s NHS systems and maliciously edit medical scans to “fake” or hide cancer.

That’s according to a new report, lead by former health minister Lord Darzi, which warns that hospitals remain at risk of cyber attacks because technology has not been properly funded. 

And, not surprisingly, it says that a technological revolution taking part across the NHS, which plans wider use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, could also expose it to new threats.

The study by Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation highlights international research which found that hackers could use AI to attack medical scans, and add or remove evidence of lung cancer from scans. Radiologists checking the results could not tell that the images had been edited, the research found. 

The report said more funding needs to be pumped into IT security to avoid crippling cyber threats in the aftermath of the UK’s 2017 WannaCry attack, which affected 80 trusts across England.

That attack forced the health service to cancel almost 20,000 hospital appointments and operations as a result of the attack - the biggest ransomware offensive in history.

Researchers said the NHS needed to boost its cyber security, as innovations in AI, cloud computing and connected devices change the way medicine is delivered. 

Lord Darzi, co-director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation, said: “We are in the midst of a technological revolution that is transforming the way we deliver and receive care. But as we become increasingly reliant on technology in healthcare, we must address the emerging challenges that arise in parallel. 

“For the safety of patients, it is critical to ensure that the data, devices and systems that uphold our NHS and therefore our nation’s health are secure. This report highlights weaknesses that compromise patient safety and the integrity of health systems, so we are calling for greater investment in research to learn how we can better mitigate against the looming threats of cyber-attacks.”

While citing the dangers of another WannaCry-style attack, researchers noted that attack was unsophisticated  and that the number and quality of attacks on the NHS is rising. 

The report collected evidence from NHS organizations and examples of previous cyber attacks in the UK and across the globe, and it outlined a number of crucial measures that NHS trusts need to implement to slash the risk of being disrupted by another attack.