An investigation has been launched after the medical records of a three-year-old boy hurt in a crocodile pit were accessed by around 40 members of hospital staff. Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) has referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and is investigating whether all the workers had a legitimate reason for looking at his information.
The boy, from Cambridgeshire, ended up in a zoo’s crocodile enclosure and is now in a stable condition. He was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, run by CUH, last Thursday following the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst.
Arrest and Suspect Details
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and later bailed after he was “assessed as not being fit for interview”. The suspect reportedly has learning difficulties and had been on a trip with carers.
Police were called to the zoo at 1.24pm on Thursday by the ambulance service to reports that a three-year-old boy had suffered serious injuries. Cambridgeshire Police said the boy “sustained serious injuries while in the enclosure” and “was pulled out by staff from the zoo”. Tracey Johnson, the wife of the zoo owner, reportedly jumped into the enclosure to save the child.
Hospital Response and Data Breach
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.”
Separately, CUH has recently dismissed five members of staff for inappropriately accessing patient records. Cambridgeshire Police said on Monday the boy was “no longer critical” and was “in a stable condition in hospital”. It is understood that he was attacked by at least one crocodile after he was allegedly thrown into the enclosure.
Context and Previous Incidents
Last week, a former healthcare worker was cautioned by the ICO for trying to obtain and sell the medical records of the Princess of Wales. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about patient data security in the NHS.
