Baby records stolen from Aberdeen hospital
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in new security breach
Published:
CONFIDENTIAL hospital records of dozens of babies born in Aberdeen have been stolen, health chiefs admitted today.
Almost 200 mums in the North-east and other parts of Scotland have been alerted over the stolen records.
The records, including details of caesarian sections over a seven year period, were stolen after being left on an Aberdeen Royal Infirmary ward before they could be destroyed.
Aberdeen health bosses were unaware of the theft until the baby records were posted back to them – and they admitted a member of staff may have stolen them as a warning over weak security procedures.
Therecords stolen covered a number of babies born between 2001 and 2008 in Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.
NHS Grampian chief executive Richard Carey today said someone grabbed the records from the bag then later posted them back to the health board.
He said: “The fact someone was able to access that bag is very regrettable and we will have to tighten up our security procedures. I have personally written to the mothers affected, apologising for what happened.”
The baby records were posted to NHS Grampian on Wednesday, April 29. An internal investigation was launched and police were alerted.
The stolen records included details of mothers’ names, date of caesarean section, the time of the decision to carry out the section and time of birth.
A NHS Grampian spokesman said: “The circumstances of the loss are being fully investigated.
“Nevertheless, any breach of security is taken very seriously and letters have been sent to all 175 parents alerting them to the theft and apologising for the breach.”
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