Hospital Staff Access Medical Records of Boy Injured in Crocodile Enclosure
Approximately 40 members of staff at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) accessed the medical records of a three-year-old boy who was injured after ending up in a crocodile enclosure, leading to an internal investigation.
CUH has referred the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and is examining whether all staff members had legitimate reasons for viewing the child’s information.
The boy, from Cambridgeshire, was admitted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, operated by CUH, last Thursday following the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo. He is currently in a stable condition.
Details of the Incident and Suspect
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the incident but was later released on bail after being assessed as unfit for interview. Reports indicate the suspect has learning difficulties and was accompanied by carers during the outing.
CUH Response to Data Access Breach
A CUH spokesperson stated:
“We have strict policies in place to safeguard patient data and we take any breach extremely seriously.
We know the vast majority of our 13,000 staff understand the fundamental importance of maintaining patient confidentiality and uphold the highest professional standards.
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. As part of our response to any breach, we notify both the ICO and apologise to patients and their families affected.”
Police Update and Incident Circumstances
Cambridgeshire police reported on Monday that the boy was “no longer critical” and remained in stable condition in hospital. It is understood that the child was attacked by at least one crocodile after allegedly being thrown into the enclosure.
Emergency services were called to the zoo at 1:24 pm on Thursday following reports of a three-year-old boy sustaining serious injuries. Police confirmed the boy “sustained serious injuries while in the enclosure” and was rescued by zoo staff.
Tracey Johnson, the wife of the zoo owner, reportedly entered the enclosure to assist in rescuing the child.
Related Incident Involving Medical Records
In a related matter concerning medical record confidentiality, last week a former healthcare worker received a caution from the ICO for attempting to obtain and sell the medical records of the Princess of Wales.
