North West Ambulance Service explains rise in data breaches

AN AMBULANCE service, operating in Cumbria and across the North West, has seen a yearly rise in data breaches, new data reveals.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has recorded 400 data breach incidents in the last three years, according to Data Breach Claims UK .

NWAS logged 75 data breaches in the 2022/23 financial year, rising to 143 in 2023/24, with a further rise in 2024/25 to 172.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) describes a data breach as "the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data.

An infographic showing yearly increases in data breach incidents. (Image: Data Breach Claims)

Personal data is defined by the ICO as "any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person."

Data, obtained through Freedom of Information Requests (FOI) , also reveals the most common types of breach at NWAS.

'Data confidentiality' was the most common type of breach (156), followed by 'Disclosure of Information' (78) and 'email disclosure' (57).

But a spokesperson for the ambulance trust insists the rise is "a reflection of the improved reporting."

They said: "Each breach is risk-assessed, reviewed, and investigated, with lessons learnt to prevent further incidents, and reported to the Information Governance and Cyber group."

An infographic breaking down the most common data breaches at North West Ambulance Service. (Image: Data Breach Claims)

The spokesperson said: "Over the last three years, NWAS has actively communicated the importance of reporting data breaches, however minor, amongst our staff. As part of this, we have improved their training and knowledge on the subject and made the reporting method more accessible for mobile staff via iPads."

The NWAS spokesperson rejected the analysis of Data Breach Claims UK, which suggested that increasing breaches underscore the scale of challenges facing the service.

Data breach solicitor for JF Law, Tekena Bobmanuel said: "Ambulance services handle some of the most sensitive personal data that exists, including medical records, emergency care notes and details for patients and their families. When that information is mishandled, lost, or accessed without authorisation, the consequences for those affected can be extremely distressing."