Health board censured for data breach

A HEALTH board has been criticised by data protection chiefs after a memory stick containing "sensitive" information about patients and staff was found outside a supermarket.

The Information Commissioner's Office found Forth Valley NHS Board in breach of the Data Protection Act after the incident in early May.

The unencrypted memory stick, which had no password protection, was found by a 12-year-old boy outside the Asda store in Stenhousemuir, near Falkirk.

It reportedly contained the criminal histories of some violent patients as well as details of staff at the Tryst Park unit at Bellsdyke Hospital in Larbert, Stirlingshire.

Tryst Park is a medium-secure unit providing long-term care for adults with severe mental health problems.

Inquiries established that the information had been uploaded by a member of staff on to a personally-owned memory stick that was then lost or stolen.

NHS Forth Valley has now signed a formal undertaking agreeing steps to improve its data protection methods.

If it does not comply it could face legal action which may involve a fine.