Eithne Donnellan reports:
FIVE LAPTOPS, at least three of them with patients’ personal details, have been stolen from the Health Service Executive (HSE) over the past year, it was confirmed yesterday.
Details of the theft of one of the laptops from a staff member’s home were reported last week, but yesterday the HSE confirmed that a further four had been stolen – two of them from HSE premises in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, in July. Both were taken on the same date.
However, at this time, the HSE cannot say how many patients are affected by the Mullingar theft.
It said: “The data on the laptops included some name and contact details for patients involved with a COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) outreach service and also the names, dates of birth and diagnosis and/or treatment details of a small number of surgical patients.”
Full story – Irish Times