Data Breach at NHS Trust Affects Nearly 33,000 Patients

• •Nearly 33,000 patients' data was compromised in a ransomware attack on a supplier.
• •The stolen data is fragmented and historic, reducing the risk of misuse.
• •The Trust has issued notifications and obtained a court injunction against data misuse.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reported a data security incident affecting approximately 32,927 patients. The breach occurred in June 2024 when criminals executed a ransomware attack on a supplier, leading to the unlawful access and extraction of internal files. The data involved relates to patients who had laboratory or diagnostic results between 2011 and 2020. Due to the fragmented and incomplete nature of the data, the Trust believes the risk of misuse is low. However, there is a limited risk of unsolicited contact by scammers. The Trust has taken steps to notify affected individuals and has obtained a court injunction to prevent further sharing of the stolen data. The incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in healthcare data security.