TEN NHS STAFF REMOVED FROM DUTY AFTER NOAH WOODS’ MEDICAL RECORDS WERE ACCESSED

Ten NHS employees have been removed from active duty while an investigation continues into the suspected unauthorised access of the medical records of three-year-old Noah Woods, who was found dead after disappearing from a playground in Suffolk.

The East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust launched an urgent internal investigation after concerns were raised that Noah’s medical records may have been viewed without a legitimate clinical reason.

The trust has also apologised to Noah’s family for the additional distress caused by the suspected data breach.

TEN STAFF REMOVED FROM DUTY

The trust confirmed that 10 employees have been removed from active duty or suspended while the investigation is carried out.

The move came after the trust identified concerns about possible inappropriate access to Noah’s patient information.

According to The Sun, the trust’s information governance team began auditing its main electronic patient record system from around 5:30 p.m. on September 15, when Noah’s disappearance was reported, through the night of September 16, when police confirmed that his body had been recovered.

The trust is also examining whether there were possible breaches involving other systems because Noah had previously received treatment within the NHS trust.

The investigation does not mean that all 10 employees have been found to have deliberately misused Noah’s records. Their removal from active duty is a precaution while the facts are established.

NHS TRUST APOLOGISES TO NOAH’S FAMILY

Dr Martin Mansfield, deputy chief medical officer at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said unauthorised access to patient information was unacceptable.

He apologised directly to Noah’s family for what he described as additional anguish at an already devastating time.

The trust said immediate measures had been taken to secure Noah’s records and prevent further access that was not for a legitimate clinical purpose.

The matter has also been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent data protection regulator.

The trust said it would continue to keep Noah’s family informed as the investigation progresses and that disciplinary action would be taken where appropriate based on its findings.

NOAH’S DEATH TRIGGERED A HUGE SEARCH

Noah Woods disappeared from an under-fives play area in Brantham, Suffolk, on September 15.

An inquest heard that the three-year-old left the playground through a gap in a fence before heading towards Decoy Pond.

A relative who had been with him followed and called after him, but eventually lost sight of the child.

A massive search operation was launched, with around 1,300 members of the public joining police officers, emergency services and specialist search teams.

The following afternoon, Metropolitan Police divers recovered Noah’s body from Decoy Pond.

Suffolk Police have said his death is not being treated as suspicious.

FAMILY REMEMBERS A HAPPY LITTLE BOY

Following the inquest, Noah’s family asked people to remember him for the child he was rather than only for the circumstances of his death.

They described him as a “happy, cheeky, playful” three-year-old who loved to laugh and giggle.

Noah lived with his parents and baby brother and, according to his family, was at the centre of their world.

They said he adored his younger brother and loved entertaining him and making him laugh.

The family also said Noah was being assessed for autism, although he had not received a diagnosis. He had mild hearing loss and was speech delayed, but was learning new words and developing his voice.

His mother, Charlie Peck, urged other parents to cherish their children and appreciate every moment with them.

A WIDER NHS CRACKDOWN ON RECORD SNOOPING

The Noah Woods investigation comes as NHS England has announced a tougher approach to staff who access patient records without proper authorisation.

NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey told NHS trusts that employees suspected of snooping should be suspended and have their access to NHS systems removed while investigations take place.

His intervention followed reporting that uncovered numerous cases of NHS employees accessing sensitive medical records without a clinical reason.

Sky News reported that its investigation identified 2,914 data-breach cases investigated by NHS trusts since 2021, although only a portion were referred to the ICO.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has also stressed that inappropriate access remains a serious breach of confidentiality, while noting that the vast majority of healthcare staff take their confidentiality responsibilities seriously.

INVESTIGATION REMAINS ONGOING

For Noah’s family, the data breach has added another painful development following the death of their young son.

The NHS trust has not publicly identified the 10 employees involved or disclosed exactly what information may have been accessed.

Those questions are expected to form part of the ongoing investigation.

For now, the trust has secured Noah’s records, reported the matter to the ICO and removed the 10 employees from active duty while the circumstances are examined.

The separate inquest into Noah’s death is also continuing, with the medical cause of death still subject to further investigation.