Medical Records Data Breach
From GP to hospital records, most if not all healthcare providers have now made the move to storing your information in an electronic format. Whilst this has its advantages in terms of how your care is delivered, it comes with its disadvantages in terms of the safety of your data.
If robust systems are not in place within the organisations handling your personal and sensitive healthcare information, breaches are inevitable. At Patron Law, our dedicated team of data breach law Solicitors have years of experience of handling data breach claims against healthcare providers.
Types of medical data breach
Medical data breaches can occur within a variety of organisations. The breach can be because of human error, hackers or even someone deliberately accessing your records for illegitimate reasons. No matter what kind of breach has occurred, our team can help you to make a claim.
It isn’t just NHS organisations who could cause a data breach; private healthcare providers are also subject to the same rules, meaning that if your medical records have been breached within a private healthcare setting, you could also be entitled to compensation.
We understand that data breaches can affect people differently, and a claim could include compensation for the following:
Financial losses
a) A breach could lead to someone having enough personal information about you to access your existing accounts with banks or other financial organisations such as investment accounts and forex accounts;
b) Your details may also be used to create new accounts with credit organisations thereby allowing the hacker to run up debts in your name.
Distress – some of your most personal and sensitive information is shared with GP’s, doctors, and healthcare professionals in medical and healthcare settings. If this information were to get into the wrong hands, the anguish which this could cause can be immeasurable.
Breaches involving the most sensitive of data, could have extreme effects for people some time after the breach.
How can data be breached?
Data can be breached in many ways. One of the most common reasons for a breach, is human error. People handle your data daily, and they could inadvertently send your information to the wrong recipient. Furthermore, humans can act maliciously, and obtain and use data for the incorrect reasons. An example of this could include an employee of a medical organisation obtaining patient data, and selling it to a third party.
Other examples of data breaches could include:
- Hacking a laptop or PC
- Lost medical records
- Sending a letter or email which includes personal data, to the wrong address/recipient
We can assist you in making a claim against the following:
- Hospitals
- GP surgeries
- Dentists
- Pharmacies
- Opticians
- NHS Trusts
How to Get in Contact
alexander.zivancevic@patronlaw.co.uk for more information.
