Health Secretary Demands Sacking of NHS Staff Who Accessed Tiger Attack Victim's Records

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has demanded that National Health Service staff who inappropriately accessed the medical records of a man mauled to death by a tiger at a Yorkshire zoo should be sacked. Cooper stated there should be a zero-tolerance approach to NHS workers accessing confidential patient information without authorization, emphasizing that those found guilty should lose their jobs.

Her remarks follow the emergence of allegations that two employees of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust accessed or attempted to access the medical records of William Chapman, 24, after his death at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on October 10. Chapman was killed after entering an enclosure housing an Amur tiger named Altai.

The ambulance trust has launched an investigation into the suspected privacy breaches, which were uncovered during routine audits, and has reported the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office. In a statement, a spokesperson for the trust said, "We believe there may have been two instances involving two members of staff accessing or attempting to access incident/medical information following this incident without a legitimate reason to do so."

The trust is investigating the full circumstances of the potential breaches and the actions of the two employees involved. It has not yet been determined if either worker successfully viewed Chapman's confidential medical information. "We take the confidentiality and security of patient information extremely seriously and have robust systems in place to protect information," the trust added.

Cooper told Sky News's Sunday Morning programme, "I take this extremely seriously... No member of NHS staff should be accessing records that they do not need to see for medical care, and reasons simply for something to do with voyeurism, or what is in the news, or any of that kind of reason."

She continued, "I've spoken to the NHS chief executive about this. We agree that if there are cases here of people inappropriately accessing medical records, then they should be suspended while the investigation takes place... If there are breaches then people actually need to be sacked."

These allegations come amid increased scrutiny of NHS staff accessing confidential records without legitimate medical reasons. Earlier this year, 15 workers at a Nottingham hospital trust were dismissed for snooping on the files of victims of the 2023 Nottingham attacks. The trust confirmed that four additional staff members were dismissed for improperly accessing records, bringing the total to 15. Fifteen other employees received final written warnings, and two received first written warnings.

William Chapman, who had a history of mental illness including schizophrenia, was pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics and an air ambulance responded to the incident at the wildlife park. His family has raised concerns about the mental health care he received leading up to his death, and the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust is conducting a separate investigation into his care.

Chapman, a former child actor, was seen dancing and listening to music on a raised walkway above the tiger enclosure shortly before entering it. Witnesses reported he asked a visitor to take photographs of him with the tiger in the background before climbing over fences. He posted a video on Instagram showing himself approaching the animal shortly before the attack.

South Yorkshire Police investigated the incident, and the City of Doncaster Council, which licenses the zoo, has launched a health and safety inquiry. A full inquest is scheduled for March 18.