NHS Staff Investigated for Accessing Records of Man Killed by Tiger
Yorkshire Ambulance Service is probing two incidents where staff may have improperly accessed the medical details of William Chapman, who died after entering a tiger enclosure.
An investigation is underway after NHS ambulance staff accessed or attempted to access the medical records of a man who was mauled to death by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. The Yorkshire Ambulance Service Trust has identified two instances of staff potentially viewing medical information related to William Chapman, 24, who died on Saturday after entering a tiger enclosure.
Paramedics and an air ambulance were dispatched to the scene at 1:35 p.m. on Saturday, but Mr. Chapman was pronounced dead at the location. The trust announced it discovered an "information governance concern" and has launched a probe into the matter. Mr. Chapman's family has been informed, and the incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office.
A spokesman for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Trust stated, "The Trust has identified an information governance concern in relation to this tragic incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park and William's family has been informed of our ongoing investigation into this. 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 emphasized its commitment to patient confidentiality, adding, "We take the confidentiality and security of patient information extremely seriously and have robust systems in place to protect information, and this concern has been identified as a result of our proactive audits."
Mr. Chapman was killed after climbing into the enclosure on Saturday afternoon, where he was attacked by Altai, a 200kg Amur tiger. The park had been closed since the incident but reopened to visitors on Friday morning.
Inquests revealed that Mr. Chapman had a history of mental illness, including a diagnosis of schizophrenia and previous bouts of psychosis. His family has expressed concerns regarding his prior contact with mental health services. At the time of his death, Mr. Chapman was a self-employed online trader under the care of Doncaster Mental Health Services but was considered highly functioning and independent.
The Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it had placed "enhanced access controls around the patient's records at an early stage following his death" and found no evidence of unauthorized access by its employees. The City of Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Police also launched separate investigations into the incident.
This incident follows similar cases where NHS staff have been investigated for accessing patient records without a legitimate purpose. Last month, ten staff members were suspended at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust after allegedly accessing the records of a three-year-old boy found dead in a lake. More than 50 NHS staff members have also been sanctioned for accessing records related to victims of the Southport and Nottingham attacks.