Up to 40 members of staff at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) accessed the medical records of a three-year-old boy who was attacked by a crocodile after allegedly being thrown into an enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst Zoo in Cambridgeshire. The hospital has referred itself to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and is investigating whether all workers had a legitimate reason for viewing the information.
Incident at the Zoo
The toddler sustained serious injuries after allegedly being thrown into a crocodile enclosure by a 30-year-old man with learning difficulties from Norfolk. The man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and later bailed after being assessed as not fit for interview. Tracey Johnson, wife of the zoo owner, reportedly jumped into the enclosure to save the child.
Hospital Response
A CUH spokesperson said: “We have strict policies in place to safeguard patient data and we take any breach extremely seriously. We know the vast majority of our 13,000 staff understand the fundamental importance of maintaining patient confidentiality and uphold the highest professional standards. Where any member of staff is found to have accessed patient records without legitimate clinical or operational reasons we take robust disciplinary action, including dismissal. As part of our response to any breach, we notify both the ICO and apologise to patients and their families affected.”
Boy's Condition
Cambridgeshire Police said on Monday the three-year-old was no longer critical and was in a stable condition in hospital. Authorities were called to the zoo on Thursday afternoon following reports that a young boy had suffered serious injuries. Police said he sustained serious injuries while in the enclosure and was pulled out by staff from the zoo.
