As patients, we trust that our data is held securely by healthcare organisations, and that medical professionals will only access and use our information when absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, hospital data snooping does occur, as some healthcare staff view patient information without authorisation or consent.
Whether intentional or unintentional, data snooping is a practice that all healthcare staff must steer clear of, particularly due to the sensitivity of medical records. It is understandably worrying for victims to learn that their information has been subjected to unauthorised access, as there could be malicious intent behind the user’s actions. When healthcare staff abuse or take advantage of their data access privileges in this way, it can constitute a breach of data protection law.
If you believe that your privacy has been violated in this way, you could be eligible to claim compensation for the harm caused. Contact us for free, no-obligation advice now if you think you may have a claim to make.
Hospital data snooping – NHS employees breaching data protection law
In the past few years, there have been several examples of hospital data snooping, in which employees of the NHS have been found to have looked at medical records without a valid reason. Often, this illicit snooping can occur on an individual level, with a select few employees breaching their duty to patients.
However, there have been examples of data snooping occurring on a larger scale. In 2019, it was revealed that over 2,000 patients of the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust had been subjected to data breaches, after their information had been accessed by employees without authorisation. We are representing patients affected by the Greater Manchester NHS data breach for compensation claims now on a No Win, No Fee basis.
Over the last few years, the ICO issued warnings to NHS employees about the consequences of hospital data snooping, citing several legal cases in which former NHS staff had been found guilty of breaching data protection law and forced to pay costs. Despite such warnings, snooping does continue to occur.
Compensation claims for those affected
Medical data can be highly sensitive, so it is understandably distressing for victims to have their trust breached by healthcare staff. To take back control in the wake of a data breach, victims can make compensation claims.
In any data breach claim, there can be a number of reasons for bringing a case. For example, victims of hospital data snooping may have suffered distress when they found out that their information had been subjected to unauthorised access, and some may have even suffered recognised psychological injuries. Both of these can be taken into account in your claim, and can be reflected in any data protection breach compensation amount you receive in compensation.
Make your claim with expert Data Leak Lawyers
Your Lawyers (t/a The Data Leak Lawyers) are leading data breach compensation experts who have been representing victims for privacy matters since 2014, helping those affected by unjust information exposure to recover the compensation they deserve. If you have been adversely impacted by a data breach, you can contact our specialist team now for advice on your potential claim.
We are often able to offer No Win, No Fee representation to eligible claimants, so you really have nothing to lose by making a claim.