The BBC reports on one of the recent actions by the Information Commissioner’s Office, reported previously on this blog.
A hospital in Essex has changed patient communication procedures after cancer records were repeatedly faxed to a member of the public instead of a GP.
Basildon Hospital was reported to the Information Commissioner – the data protection watchdog.
He criticised Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and pointed out that guidelines banned the use of fax machines.
The trust now delivers cancer forms and sensitive material by courier.
The problem first came to light when a member of the public contacted Basildon and Thurrock Hospital Foundation Trust’s internal data controller in November 2010.
The person said that several faxes had been received over a two-year period from the trust and a number of other healthcare providers.
An internal hospital investigation confirmed at least 10 faxes had been sent by mistake, to only one person but from several different internal departments.
Read more on BBC