Key facts
- North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) is investigating potential inappropriate access to patient records by its staff.
- The investigation was prompted by concerns raised by the father of a girl seriously injured in the July 2024 Southport attack.
- This follows a separate incident where nearly 50 staff at Aintree Hospital inappropriately accessed records of victims from the same attack.
- Solicitors for the survivors are demanding a comprehensive review of NHS data access policies.
- NWAS has informed the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) about the ongoing internal investigation.
The father of a girl seriously injured in the July 2024 Southport attack has accused North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) of a "complete breach of trust" following revelations that the service is investigating potential inappropriate access to patient records. He described the possible breaches as "appalling" and suggested some staff "just wanted to satisfy their own morbid curiosity."
NWAS chief executive Salman Desai confirmed the investigation into "potential inappropriate access to patient records." This comes after NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHLG) admitted in May that nearly 50 staff members at Aintree Hospital had improperly viewed the medical records of victims from the same attack.
The father, whose daughter was 13 at the time of the attack and survived stab wounds to her back and arm, stated that discovering the potential ambulance service breach through reviewing documents was "appalling." He expressed frustration that the NHS trusts have been unable to confirm with certainty whether photographs of his daughter's injuries were viewed, leaving the family uncertain about the extent of the data sharing. He emphasized that the decision of what to share about his daughter's condition should have been hers, and now "nobody can guarantee what data was shared and retained."
Solicitors acting for the girl and 21 other survivors are calling for a full-scale review by NHS England into the guidance and disciplinary procedures for staff who inappropriately access patient data. Fletchers Solicitors noted that NWAS is reportedly "not formally disciplining" the staff involved but has "strengthened their HR process for future incidents."
Leanne Lucas, the instructor at the dance class and an adult survivor, also voiced her devastation and horror at the news of another potential data breach, calling it "deeply upsetting" and "insult added to injury" after her own records were accessed at Aintree. She hopes for a thorough investigation, full transparency, and robust measures to prevent future occurrences.
Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, an associate solicitor at Fletchers Solicitors, commented that the recent breaches indicate a "deep-rooted culture of snooping within the NHS," urging for a comprehensive review by NHS England. Desai reiterated that any inappropriate access to patient information is treated "extremely seriously" and apologized for the distress caused. NWAS has notified the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which stated it will assess the evidence provided and consider its next steps.