NHS Tayside does not record all data breaches involving patient records

NHS Tayside does not have enough staff to check how many data breaches involving patient records there has been.

The health board said this is not recorded centrally and would involve a manual check of individual records.

There is no automatic system in place to determine whether a breach has occured.

NHS Tayside explained there is a lack of staff and resources to undertake a manual review of individual records.

It means the health board is unable to confirm how many patients may have been had been subject to a data breach unless it was reported separately.

It comes as new figures show 2025-26 has seen the highest number of NHS Tayside data breaches in the last five years.

More than 800 breaches were reported, and 446 have been confirmed.

Probe after NHS Tayside staff ‘snoop’ on records of ‘murdered’ schoolgirl

NHS Tayside came under fire last month after it was revealed that an investigation was launched into claims that staff were caught snooping on Minnie Merriman’s medical records.

The nine-year-old schoolgirl was found injured in Arbroath and was transported to Ninewells Hospital, where she later died.

The Courier asked the health board how many data breaches were investigated involving patients’ records being accessed without authorisation in the last five years.

NHS Tayside replied: “NHS Tayside is unable to respond to this question as the requested information is not recorded centrally or in a readily available format.

“By way of explanation, to identify the requested information, our services would be required to undertake a manual review of individual records, which would place a significant burden on NHS Tayside’s staff and resources.”

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said: “It’s concerning that NHS Tayside does not keep a record of the number of data breaches that involve individual patient records.

“Not keeping a record of blatant violations of patient confidentiality is unacceptable and this needs to be addressed immediately by the NHS Tayside Board, so that future accountability is possible.”

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