Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) has referred itself to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) after approximately 40 staff members accessed the medical records of a three-year-old boy injured in a crocodile enclosure. The hospital is investigating whether all employees had a legitimate clinical or operational reason for viewing the child's personal information.
Incident Details
The boy, from Cambridgeshire, was attacked by at least one crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a zoo in Huntingdonshire, on Thursday. He was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital, operated by CUH, and is now in a stable condition. A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and bailed after being assessed as not fit for interview; he is reported to have learning difficulties and was visiting the attraction with carers.
Emergency services were alerted at 1:24 pm on Thursday. Police confirmed the boy sustained serious injuries while in the enclosure and was pulled out by zoo staff. Tracey Johnson, wife of the zoo owner, reportedly jumped into the enclosure to rescue the child.
Hospital Response
A CUH spokesperson stated: "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."
Previous Breach Context
Last week, a former healthcare professional received a caution from the ICO after attempting to acquire and sell the medical records of the Princess of Wales, highlighting ongoing concerns about patient data security.
