June 2012

The Belfast Health and Social Care (BHSC) Trust have been fined £225,000 for a serious breach of the Data Protection Act.

Thousands of patients and staffs sensitive and personal data was placed at risk. The information included an array of medical records, scans and x-rays, staff records and payslips.

In April 2007 six local Trusts merged to form the BHSC leaving a large number of sites vacant. These sites were to be managed by the newly formed BHSC.  In March 2010 one of the vacant sites where compromised with trespassers gaining access and taking photos of sensitive information left at the site. Later a number of patient records were posted online.

The Trust failed to manage the sensitive data and keep it secure placing thousands of people’s information at risk. The Trust also neglected to report the incident.

Information Commissions Office (ICO)