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UK: GP anger at 'outrageous' loss of patient blood samples and data

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Dissent

This one was reported earlier this month, but I just caught up with it:

Nick Bostock reports:

GPs have reacted with outrage after police confirmed a van stolen with hundreds of pathology test samples was left unlocked, with its keys inside.

Merton Police have called off the search for the van, stolen with up to 300 vials of blood, smears, other samples and patient-identifiable data, because of a lack of evidence.

The vehicle was stolen from outside a GP practice in Surrey after collecting test samples from 10 practices across the area to take to the Epsom and St Helier pathology service.

Wimbledon GP and GPC member Dr Paul Cundy, whose practice uses the pathology service, said: ‘It’s outrageous. It is not acceptable for vans with clinical material in them to be left unattended with the keys in them. There’s no excuse for that.’

Read more on GPonline.

But was the van and driver directly under the control of Epsom and St Helier Hospitals or were they using a contractor?

Other coverage of the incident reveals that the theft occurred on July 30 and that patients were being notified (well, of course they’d have to be notified as the tests would need to be re-run). A list of the affected practices can be found here.

I wonder what the Information Commissioner’s Office will do, if anything, in response to this breach.

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