Data amnesty launched after personal details lost by NHS

Published on Friday 4 July 2008 14:20

HEALTH chiefs have launched a data amnesty after one employee lost the personal information of about 137 patients.

It is part of a new campaign aimed at tightening security of information at NHS Lothian.

A community health worker lost a USB memory stick containing letters sent to central Edinburgh GPs about patients.

They immediately contacted bosses last week and patients are now being contacted and offered support and advice.

Police were called in and the member of staff faces an inquiry and possible disciplinary action.

NHS Lothian wants to make sure none of its other 28,000 employees make the same error.

The campaign will include roadshows round hospitals and other NHS Lothian sites, fold-out leaflets sent out with pay slips, posters in NHS Lothian buildings, features in the staff newspaper and a data amnesty, to run throughout August.

NHS Lothian said the campaign will cost less than 5000.

Martin Egan, NHS director of health, said: "Data security is a very important issue and one we take very seriously.

"Following the reported loss of a memory stick containing patient information we decided to launch a special campaign to drive home the message that data security is everybody's business.

"The rules on the issue are clear and simple, but people have to follow them if we are to keep information safe."

The amnesty will allow anyone who has inappropriately stored sensitive information to come forward and have it safely disposed of without being subject to disciplinary procedures.

Computers and handheld electronic devices automatically back up deleted information so that, even though it can appear to have gone in the wrong hands, it could be recalled. This is why NHS Lothian wants its computer experts to make sure the information has gone completely.

At the same time the health board's IT security team is investigating extra safeguards to make it more difficult to download data to unauthorised devices.

All this has been welcomed by patient representatives.

Dr Jean Turner, chief executive of the Scotland Patients Association, said: "Any campaign that alerts staff to the potential difficulties of working with sensitive information, and not allowing it to fall into the wrong hands, is very important.

"It's probably a good idea to have a proper amnesty. It is never too late to emphasise the importance of confidentiality."

It is not the first time in recent years that devices containing personal information have gone missing within NHS Lothian.

A Freedom Of Information inquiry revealed some laptops had disappeared. However, they did not contain personal data, emphasising the importance of NHS Lothian rules that it should not be held on portable devices.