The nurses who gossip about patients on Facebook and how they are spying on their loved ones

NHS staff are exposing highly sensitive information about patients up to five times a week by posting messages about them on Facebook, discussing illnesses in public or losing their medical files. Figures show that in the past 12 months doctors, nurses and admin workers breached patients confidentiality some 802 times. And nearly half of hospitals and NHS trusts admitted there had been at least one such incident in the past year. Online: NHS staff are exposing highly sensitive information about patients up to five times a week by posting messages about them on Facebook There were at least 23 incidents where staff had openly discussed patients with colleagues, friends and family on websites such as Facebook. In one shocking case a medical worker at Nottingham University Hospital took a picture of a patient in bed and circulated it on the social networking site. Figures show that in the past 12 months doctors, nurses and admin workers breached patients' confidentiality some 802 times. Picture posed by models There were also 91 incidents where NHS staff had admitted to snooping through the medical files of their own colleagues. This included the case of an NHS manager who admitted looking through the medical files of family, friends and colleagues 431 times out of idle curiosity. Dale Trever, 23, a data quality manager at Hull Primary Care Trust, was sacked and given a six-month suspended jail sentence. There were also 57 cases where medical notes, computer discs or laptops containing highly personal information were left lying around in public places, lost or stolen. The pressure group Big Brother Watch, which uncovered the figures, said the NHS was not doing enough to ensure patients privacy is protected. It warned such incidents could become far more common as higher numbers of NHS staff have access to confidential patient notes with the roll-out of a new computer database. The Summary Care Record will give GPs, hospital doctors and paramedics immediate information about patients, such as allergies or medications. Previously it has emerged as many as 10,000 NHS employees, including porters and cleaners, could have access to sensitive patient files.

Of the 350 hospitals and NHS trusts which responded to requests, 152 admitted there had been at least one breach of privacy in the past 12 months. The figures also showed that out of 802 incidents, only 102 staff were sacked. Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch, said: These cases represent serious infringements on patient privacy. Health Minister Simon Burns said: 'It is completely unacceptable for staff with no involvement in providing or supporting care to access confidential patient information. Patients have a right to expect that their personal medical information is kept private. 'We have issued clear standards and guidance to the NHS about what needs to be done to keep patient records secure and confidential. 'Individual NHS organisations are responsible for ensuring their staff understand and follow that guidance. Any member of staff discovered intentionally breaching this should be subject to appropriate disciplinary action. 'Access to electronic records can be tracked and audited, so that any abuse can be traced and dealt with.'