Ten NHS employees have been removed from duty after accessing the medical records of three-year-old Noah Woods without authorisation, prompting an apology to his family.
Noah went missing on September 15, triggering a large search involving 1,300 people, helicopters, and dog units in the village of Brantham, Suffolk. His body was found in a pond by police divers the next day. An inquest later heard he had left a play area 'through a gap in the fence'.
Internal probe launched
The East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust launched an internal investigation after concerns were raised about employees attempting to access Noah's private patient data. As reported by The Sun on Sunday, the breach of trust is believed to have begun on September 17, stemming from the high-profile nature of the case.
An information governance team audited the main electronic patient record system from 5.30pm on the evening of September 16, when Noah's death was confirmed. The trust is also investigating other possible violations on systems where Noah was previously treated.
Trust apologises unreservedly
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Martin Mansfield called the acts 'completely unacceptable'. In a statement, he said: 'We have apologised unreservedly to Noah's family for the extra anguish this breach of trust has caused them at an already devastating time.'
'As soon as we became aware of concerns that Noah's medical records may have been viewed inappropriately, we launched an urgent internal investigation. Immediate steps were also taken to secure the records and prevent further access that was not for a legitimate, clinical reason.'
Dr Mansfield added that the matter has been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office, and Noah's family will be kept updated. 'We will take disciplinary action where needed,' he declared.
Family tribute and inquest details
Noah's family paid tribute to the 'happy, cheeky, playful' boy, with his mother, Charlie, urging people to 'hold their children a little tighter'. His parents previously shared that he was being assessed for autism, had mild hearing loss, and delayed speech. Despite the 'challenges he faced', they said, he continued 'learning every day' and had begun 'saying new words' and 'using his little voice'.
His mother identified his body at Ipswich Hospital on the night he was found by Decoy Pond. Police said Noah's body had been five metres from the edge, within submerged tree roots around 1.8m deep. Suffolk Coroner's Court heard how the boy had walked from the park to a memorial garden, which he left through the gate before running down a path on a housing estate towards the pond.
CCTV from the area showed he had been supervised by a relative that day, which was 'part of a normal routine'. The family described them as a 'treasured relative'. While the family member was seen following him, they lost sight of Noah from East Bergholt, after which police were called. His death is not being treated as suspicious. Assistant coroner Jyoti Gill called the situation 'very sad and tragic' while opening the inquest.
