NHS staff probe over teen’s medical records after death
Three nursing staff at Bristol Foundation NHS Trust are under formal investigation after at least five members of staff accessed the medical records of an 18-year-old autistic boy who died in 2016, his mother said.…
Source: BBC Health · September 24, 2026 at 6:32 PM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 —
Three nursing staff at Bristol Foundation NHS Trust are under formal investigation after at least five members of staff accessed the medical records of an 18-year-old autistic boy who died in 2016, his mother said.
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Paula McGowan revealed that 38 people viewed her son Oliver’s records since his death, with 637 items accessed and 67 printed, raising concerns over unauthorised digital snooping in the NHS.
The case follows a broader pattern of unauthorised access to patient records, with at least 214 NHS staff losing their jobs and around 2,000 sanctioned over the past five years, according to an investigation by the Health Services Journal. NHS England’s chief executive, Sir Jim Mackey, warned in July that staff could face dismissal or even prosecution for breaches, following high-profile cases involving victims of attacks and a child injured in a crocodile enclosure.
Oliver died in 2016 after receiving anti-psychotic medication his family had repeatedly warned against. While most record access was tied to legal proceedings and the coroner’s inquest, three nursing staff not involved in his care are now under scrutiny for lacking a legitimate reason to view the files. One nurse reportedly accessed the records out of general interest in anti-psychotic drugs and learning disability care.
McGowan told the BBC she was “deeply hurt” by the revelations, describing the intrusion as a violation of her son’s privacy, particularly given the sensitive nature of his medical notes. Her husband, Tom, warned that digital record-keeping had increased the risk of unauthorised access, calling for stricter controls.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust acknowledged the concerns, stating it was conducting a “thorough investigation” and would take “appropriate action” if misconduct was found. The trust emphasised that patient confidentiality is a priority, but critics argue the incident highlights systemic vulnerabilities in NHS data security.
The case underscores broader challenges in NHS record-keeping, where decentralised IT systems mean different organisations manage their own data, often without a unified audit trail. While staff must have legitimate reasons to access records, the lack of a single electronic system increases the risk of breaches, particularly as digital platforms become more prevalent.