Breach of confidential information at a GP surgery

The medical profession is built on the principle of doctor-patient confidentiality, in which patients trust when disclosing highly sensitive information to healthcare professionals. In particular, the relationship between a patient and their GP involves a great degree of trust, as patients often visit the same GP for years. It can, therefore, be extremely distressing to suffer a breach of confidential information at a GP surgery.

Healthcare data breaches can arise in a number of different ways, whether due to the carelessness of individual employees, or the failed security of data storage systems. Unfortunately, the continued occurrence of data breaches in the healthcare sector risks breaking down the relationships between healthcare professionals and patients.

If you have had your confidential medical information exposed or compromised by your GP surgery, you could be entitled to claim compensation. The GDPR can allow victims whose rights have been violated to launch data breach claims. To receive free legal advice about your potential eligibility, contact our expert lawyers.

How might a GP surgery compromise data security?

A breach of confidential information at a GP surgery may unfold in several different ways. For example, a breach of data protection law may involve an employee of a GP surgery disclosing patient information to someone who is not authorised to access it. In 2016, one GP surgery was fined for a breach like this, when a woman’s information was revealed to her ex-husband.

In another case, a data security incident arose when the post-box outside a GP surgery containing private prescription forms was reportedly stolen. The exposure of the confidential details on the forms was perhaps something the GP surgery should have foreseen before leaving them in the post-box overnight.

Alternatively, a breach of confidential information at a GP surgery could consist of a number of other human errors, such as sending a letter or email to the wrong recipient, a mistake which can, unfortunately, be all too common.

Claim for a breach of confidential information at a GP surgery

To claim for a breach of confidential information at a GP surgery, we need to establish that the data controller involved was responsible for a violation of data protection law. Once this has been supported, we can evaluate your claim and consider how much compensation you could be entitled to receive.

You may be able to recover damages not only for the distress caused by the incident, but also for any financial losses which arose as a result.

Claim with experts in data breach claims

Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – is a firm of specialists in respect of data protection claims, having represented claimants in this area of law since 2014. Our experience in this area of law has rendered us well-equipped to deal with a variety of data breach matters.

If you have been affected by an NHS data breach, reporting the incident to a specialist data protection lawyer for advice is a key step to achieving justice. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation discussion about your potential compensation claim.

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