An investigation has been launched into allegations that up to 40 members of National Health Service (NHS) staff accessed the medical records of a three-year-old boy who was severely injured in a crocodile attack. The child suffered a shattered arm and pelvis after a stranger threw him into a crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a wildlife park near Huntingdon.
The incident occurred last week, and the boy was subsequently taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where he is now in a stable condition. Hospital officials confirmed that his medical records had been accessed by a significant number of staff since his admission.
A spokesperson for Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) stated that the organization takes "robust disciplinary action" against any staff found to have accessed patient records without a legitimate clinical or operational reason. The current probe aims to determine if such unauthorized access occurred in this case.
This incident follows other recent cases of alleged improper access to patient data by NHS staff. Previously, staff were found to have viewed the medical records of Catherine, Princess of Wales, following her cancer diagnosis. In another instance, records of victims from the terror attacks in Southport and Nottingham were reportedly accessed inappropriately.
The hospital trust has indicated that disciplinary measures will be enforced for any staff found to have breached patient confidentiality or accessed records without a valid medical or operational need.