The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) remains highly concerned that data breaches involving people’s personal information are continuing to occur in NHS organisations.
Today NHS Stoke-on-Trent and Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Foundation Trust are the latest NHS bodies found to have breached the Data Protection Act (DPA). Both NHS organisations’ chief executives have signed formal Undertakings outlining that they will process personal information in line with the DPA.
Mick Gorrill, Head of Enforcement at the ICO, said: “Everyone makes mistakes, but regrettably there are far too many within the NHS…”
The NHS organisations have agreed to implement a number of security measures to protect personal information more effectively. All staff will be made aware of the organisations’ policies for the retention and use of personal data and will receive training on how to follow those policies.
NHS Stoke-on-Trent will also apply physical security measures in respect of paper medical records, particularly when they are in transit. The ICO can issue a monetary penalty for serious breaches of the Data Protection Act.
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