The key facts

  • More than 30 people signed the open letter, calling the leaks a 'flagship abuse of power'
  • More than 30 people signed the open letter, calling the leaks a 'flagrant abuse of power'
  • 15 employees have been dismissed at NUH NHS Trust for accessing the records of Nottingham victims; investigations and admissions are ongoing at Liverpool Heart and Chest and UHLG
  • In September NHS announced immediate suspension of suspects, but the letter's authors demand additional measures
  • In September the NHS announced the immediate suspension of suspects, but the letter's authors are demanding additional measures

An open letter from those affected

Families affected by the attacks in Southport and Nottingham have published an open letter demanding stronger protection against unauthorized access by NHS staff to confidential medical records. They called the leaks a 'flagship abuse of power' and urged ministers and NHS leadership to take additional measures. More than 30 people signed the letter, including those affected by maternity scandals; it was compiled by the law firm Fletchers Solicitors, BBC News reports.

The scale of the problem according to investigations

The authors of the letter recalled that after the Nottingham attack in 2023, when Valdo Calocane killed Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both 19, and 65-year-old Ian Coates, 'staff began snooping while parents were still coming to terms with the death of their children; other victims were still lying in hospital fighting for their lives when their records were breached'. Last month, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said that as part of an investigation a total of 15 people had been dismissed for unauthorized access to victims' records. In Southport, where in 2024 Axel Rudakubana killed six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, Liverpool Heart and Chest NHS Foundation Trust is conducting an investigation; in May, University Hospitals of Liverpool Group admitted that nearly 50 of its staff had improperly viewed victims' files, and a separate investigation is under way at North West Ambulance Service Trust. The authors also pointed to breaches in the cases of three-year-old Noah Woods, who drowned in a pond in Suffolk, William Chapman, who died in a tiger enclosure in Yorkshire, and a two-year-old boy dropped into a pit with crocodiles at a zoo in Cambridge. According to them, the problem 'is not limited to the NHS': the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunals Service apologized for unauthorized access to the data of Southport victims.

Measures taken and new demands

In September, NHS announced measures against 'snooping': staff under suspicion will be immediately suspended and cut off from the service's computer systems. The authors of the letter believe these measures do not go far enough and are demanding three specific steps: a 'tick box' when accessing records confirming a lawful basis, audits of unauthorized viewing, and 'proper recognition' of victims by the Information Commissioner. 'These breaches cause deep hurt and are entirely preventable,' the letter says. Fletchers Solicitors partner Nicola Ryan-Donnelly said that among the Southport child survivors she represents, many parents 'do not feel they have a voice', and that 'a new culture needs to be instilled in the healthcare system and victims need to be given a powerful voice to challenge breaches'. BBC approached NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Culture for comment.

Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were killed in the 29 July 2024 attackImage source, Family photographs
Image caption,

Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar died in the Southport knife attacks on 29 July 2024

A composite image of (left to right) Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates.Image source, Supplied
Image caption,

Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane

Forensic officers wearing white protective suits, face masks and gloves walk along a residential street in Southport cordoned off with police tape. Police vehicles with flashing blue lights and several parked cars line the road, while officers and emergency personnel are visible in the background. Items of evidence and debris can be seen on the roadway as investigators examine the scene.Image source, Press Association
Image caption,

The Southport knife attacks happened during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class

A composite image of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian CoatesBunches of flowers and teddies lined up against a wall next to a road sign reading Tithebarn Road.Bunches of flowers and teddies lined up against a wall next to a road sign reading Tithebarn Road.Leanne Lucas, who has long wavy dark hair, and is wearing a white T-shirt with a circular logo with the catchphrase 'Let's Be Blunt' on the front. She is standing in a kitchen looking into the camera with a determined expression.Three-year-old Noah Woods, with light hair and wearing a brightly coloured top, smiles at the camera.A young man with short brown hair and brown eyes smiling as he stands in front of a waterfall.Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar were stabbed to deathA uniformed police office stands in front of a bricked barn has a car park outside the front on the left. There is a fence on the right which opens into a court yard and there are signs on the door. There is a police car parked in the car park.