Two separate patients lists from LUH found off site

Further concerns about data protection at Letterkenny University Hospital have been raised after it emerged that earlier this year, on two separate occasions the hospital was contacted after patient lists were found off site.
It comes following revelations yesterday that a patient file containing sensitive medical records of an elderly woman was found in the Bernard McGlinchey Town Park while earlier this year a patient was contacted by the hospital after their file was found in the High Road area of the town.
In a statement issued this evening, Saolta says Letterkenny University Hospital takes all breaches of Data Protection seriously and all such cases are managed in line with HSE policy.
It was confirmed that in March this year, the hospital was made aware of a patient list which was contained in refuse collected by the litter warden in Letterkenny.
In addition in May this year the hospital was advised that a further patient list had been identified off-site.
Saolta says, in both cases, the hospital retrieved the information and contacted each patient, 33 in total to advise them of the incidents.
An apology was issued to each patient and the Data Protection Commissioner also notified.
The hospital says they have very clear data protection guidelines in place and staff are regularly advised of their responsibility to protect patient data.