Healthcare data protection breaches

Despite the degree of trust we invest in doctors and other healthcare professionals, lapses in data protection still take place far too often within healthcare organisations. Given the sensitivity of medical information, healthcare data protection breaches can profoundly affect victims, many of whom can suffer from significant distress when they discover that their privacy has been compromised.

A number of serious data security incidents involving patient information have been reported in recent years, yet this negative coverage does not seem to have persuaded all healthcare organisations to improve their data protection strategies. Even small missteps can cause mass data exposure, which is why there is no room for error when it comes to data security.

At Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – we specialise in data breach compensation claims. We are determined to hold organisations accountable for any failure to comply with data protection law. If you have had data compromised or exposed by a healthcare organisation, you may be entitled to claim compensation – you can contact us to receive free, no-obligation legal advice on your potential eligibility to claim here now.

Examples of healthcare data protection breaches

Some of our recent legal cases demonstrate the different forms in which healthcare data protection breaches can arise. The 56 Dean Street clinic breach which occurred in 2015 involved an error which, on the face of it, may have seemed very small. However, it actually had very serious repercussions. The clinic sent a mass email out to hundreds of patients who attend the clinic specifically for matters of managing HIV. As such, the breach exposed the confidential HIV status of many of these recipients by failing to anonymise them when the email was sent out using the “CC” function.

The Greater Manchester NHS data breach provides an example of a more intentional data breach incident. It was revealed in 2019 that over 2,000 patients appeared to have had their personal data misused as a result of unauthorised snooping by employees of the trust. This reportedly had been occurring for over 18 months before the issue was eventually identified.

Healthcare data and cybercrime

Preventing healthcare data protection breaches becomes even more important when the external threat posed by cybercriminals is considered. Given its sensitivity, medical data is valued highly among criminals, as it can act as a very powerful fuel for blackmail. For example, it can be easier to manipulate victims into paying ransoms if they are threatened with the publication of their medical records.

It is for this reason that healthcare organisations must take action to prevent, as far as possible, employee negligence and cybersecurity defects. Cybercriminals are all too ready to exploit such vulnerabilities if they arise.

Make your NHS data compensation claim

If you have been let down by a healthcare provider who failed to protect your personal data, you may be able to bring a case against them. We have been representing clients who have been affected by healthcare data protection breaches for several years, aiming to recover the compensation they deserve. As such, if you have faced this sort of injustice, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice.

We can even offer No Win, No Fee representation to eligible claimants, so what do you have to lose by making a claim?

Data breaches from increasing digitisation

£15,000 settlement: data leak of spreadsheet attached to email