Cambridge University Hospitals has opened a hospital investigation after up to 40 staff accessed the records of a three-year-old boy injured in a crocodile attack. The boy is in a stable condition at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, and the family has been told about the review.
Cambridge University Hospitals
The hospital said it is exploring whether there were legitimate reasons for the records to be accessed. Cambridge University Hospitals also referred itself to the Information Commissioner's Office and said it notifies the Information Commissioner's Office as part of its response to any breach. Jack Dace conscious and taken to hospital after Brighton fall is a separate example of how hospitals handle urgent admissions when treatment is immediate.
CUH said: "We have strict policies in place to safeguard patient data and we take any breach extremely seriously." It added: "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."
Johnsons of Old Hurst
The boy was attacked in the enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst in Cambridgeshire near Huntingdon on 18 June, after officers were called at 13:34 BST. Police said the child, who was from Cambridgeshire and was visiting with his family, sustained serious injuries while in the enclosure and was pulled out by members of staff.
The boy received medical treatment at the scene before being taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. Police later said on Monday that he was no longer critical and was in a stable condition.
Information Commissioner's Office
CUH said it has 13,000 staff, and the reported access involved up to 40 of them. The hospital said restrictions had been put on the boy's medical records to prevent unnecessary access, yet the file was still opened widely enough to trigger a breach review. That is the point the investigation has to resolve: whether each access was for a legitimate clinical or operational reason, or whether some of them crossed the line.
CUH said: "We know the vast majority of our 13,000 staff understand the fundamental importance of maintaining patient confidentiality and uphold the highest professional standards." It also said: "As part of our response to any breach, we notify both the ICO and apologise to patients and their families affected."
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested and bailed on suspicion of attempted murder after the attack. For the boy's family, the immediate issue now is not only his recovery, but how a restricted hospital record ended up in so many hands.
