East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust has launched an urgent investigation into concerns that Noah’s medical records were accessed without authorisation.
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| An NHS trust has apologised to Noah Woods’ family over a medical records breach. |
An NHS trust has apologised to the family of three-year-old Noah Woods after concerns that his medical records were accessed inappropriately following his death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust said it had launched an urgent internal investigation after becoming aware that Noah’s records may have been viewed without a legitimate clinical reason. The trust said any unauthorised access to patient information was “completely unacceptable.”
Dr Martin Mansfield, the trust’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said the organisation had apologised “unreservedly” to Noah’s family for the additional distress caused by the breach 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 related to legitimate clinical purposes. It has also reported the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s independent data protection regulator.
The investigation comes after Noah died following a major search operation in Brantham, Suffolk. The three-year-old went missing on September 15 after becoming separated from a relative at a playground. Around 1,300 members of the public joined the search before Metropolitan Police divers recovered his body from nearby Decoy Pond the following day.
An inquest into Noah’s death heard that he had left the play area through a gap in a fence before making his way towards the pond. The inquest has been opened and adjourned, while police investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death continue.
The trust said it would continue to keep Noah’s family informed as the investigation progresses. It also stated that disciplinary action would be considered where necessary, in line with its policies and procedures.
Noah’s family has described him as a happy, playful child who loved to laugh and brought joy to those around him. His death prompted a large community response, with thousands of people involved in the search and subsequent tributes.