Tag: nhs

Simple data breaches can sometimes be the worst

In some cases, those small and simple data breaches can actually be the worst; especially when the context of the incident is considered.

It can only take one employee of an organisation failing to understand the rules that can lead to a substantial breach. It can only take just one piece of leaked information to cause significant to distress for the victim as breaches can be very subjective.

Take it from a leading law firm with a proven track record of succeeding with data breach cases that sample leaks, breaches and hacks can cause devastation. Our role is to make sure that anyone – no matter who they are and what the breach is – can access the justice they may be entitled to.

NHS data protection breach compensation advice

First published by Matthew on January 22, 2020 in the following categories: Claims Healthcare and tagged with compensation | data breach | medical data breach | medical records | nhs

An NHS data protection breach can be absolutely devastating for the victim, and it’s important that people know their rights when it comes to compensation and justice.

Like many organisations, the NHS is moving into the digital era with greater reliance on technology and accessible information. This can be valuable for treating and diagnosing patients faster, and it can also be invaluable for medical research to improve services across the board.

However, it can also mean that more data is being digitally stored; data is far more accessible; and sensitive information can be more easily shared. This means that the responsibilities for the organisations – as well as for its employees – to safeguard the data held is even more important. When things go wrong, the victims can be entitled to justice by way of an NHS data breach compensation claim.

Inappropriate access to medical records: advice for victims

Issues relating to inappropriate access to medical records is something we have talked about before. It’s completely wrong and can have a huge impact for the victims.

In some cases – and this is what we will look at here – unauthorised access to medical data can be a great deal more sinister than staff being curious about people they’re acquainted with. In some cases, employees have accessed information for more sinister means, where they have targeted specific individuals to pursue them for relations.

We have represented people who have been unscrupulously contacted by employees who have accessed their contact data through their employment to then engage them for relations. In these kinds of scenarios, the impact for the victim can be substantial, so it’s important to know your rights.

Confidential advice for an HIV status data leak

compensation advice for hospital data breaches

We offer professional, confidential and no-obligation advice and representation for an HIV status data leak as an area of law that we have particular expertise in.

One of the first data actions that we took forward was for victims of the infamous 56 Dean Street Clinic leak. This 2015 leak resulted in the HIV status for almost 800 patients being exposed, and the impact for the victims has been substantial. Having built legal cases for the many who placed their legal cases with us, we understand just how bad this kind of data exposure can be.

It’s important to know our background in these kinds of claims, given how serious a matter like this is. A lot of law firms have started offering services for data cases, and we’ve seen some remarkable and unsubstantiated claims being made by some firms when it comes to their role in the sector. People need to take care.

Hospital cyber-attacks: where the victims stand

When it comes to hospital cyber-attacks, our focus is on ensuring that the victims’ voices are heard and that they have the chance for the justice that they deserve.

The threat that hospitals are facing from cybercriminals is substantial. A large volume of the individual compensation claims that we take forward are for medical data breach incidents, and many of them stem from cybersecurity events.

The 2017 WannaCry incident was perhaps one of the biggest examples that showed just how much of a target the healthcare sector really is.

Snooping on medical records: legal advice

Ultimately, snooping on medical records is not OK at all. In fact, in the UK, this behaviour can constitute as a breach of data protection laws, and that can land the snoopers in trouble and give the victims the right to claim.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has prosecuted a number of NHS workers for these kinds of incidents. They have also had to issue general warnings to remind staff about their obligations and duties, and the fact that snooping on records could get you prosecuted, fined and sacked.

In terms of the victims, they can have the right to bring legal action for compensation if their records are ever snooped on. We can represent people for medical data protection breach cases like this on a No Win, No Fee basis.

NHS data breaches and technology

NHS data breaches and technology can go hand-in-hand. A lot of the incidents that we take forward for both individual cases and group action / multi-party claims often involve technology issues.

One of the most common types of cases that we take forward are NHS data breach compensation claims. Not only can they be common, but the impact for the victims – given how personal and sensitive medical data is – can usually mean that they suffer significant distress. That’s why our work to fight for the rights of the victims is so important.

We’re involved with more than one infamous group legal action as well as countless individual claims for medical data breaches. If you have been affected by an NHS data breach, we may be able to help you as well.

Understanding the real impact of a medical data breach

As expert lawyers, we feel that it’s important to understand the real impact of a medical data breach, which is something we have a great deal of experience in helping people with.

We have, for a number of years, been asked for help by thousands of people who have been affected by data breach events. Many of them involve medical data as it’s one of the most common types of individual legal cases that we take forward. Some of the group and multi-party actions were’ involved with also involve medical data, with some being incredibly serious and sensitive.

We understand how the victims feel. When people make a medical data breach compensation claim with us, our focus is on ensuring that any justice you deserve reflects what you have had to go through.

NHS South Central and West data leak

First published by Matthew on December 06, 2019 in the following categories: Data Healthcare Technology and tagged with data leak | medical data breach | nhs | personal data

There’s been an NHS South Central and West data leak. It’s a familiar story in terms of how the leak has happened and the fact that it appears to have been very preventable.

In this latest incident, thousands of families have reportedly been sent letters encouraging the uptake of flu vaccinations for children. Unfortunately, due to a “mail merge error”, names and addresses for children were somehow mixed up. The result of this is that parents and carers have received information for other people’s children.

Another huge leak that may have been entirely preventable that took place owing to events that have taken place before. NHS data breach compensation claims are one of the most common types of cases we take forward because of how often these kinds of incidents happen, and it’s clear to us that more needs to be done to prevent them from taking place.

Impact of hospital data breaches

The impact of hospital data breaches can be incredibly severe given that we’re talking about some of the most personal and sensitive information there can be.

This can mean that the victims of this kind of medical data breach can suffer more, and it can also mean that hospitals are a bigger target for hackers.

As expert data protection lawyers, we can tell you from years of real experience in fighting for the rights of data breach victims that these kinds of legal cases need a specific approach. When it comes to sensitive medical data that has been exposed, data breach compensation amounts can be higher, and it takes specialist lawyers like us to make sure you get the best representation possible.