00:00Medical records can contain some of a person's most sensitive information,
00:04but concerns over who has been looking at these records have prompted a tougher response from NHS England.
00:10The new approach means staff suspected of accessing patient files without a legitimate reason
00:15should be suspended and locked out of NHS computer systems whilst investigations take place.
00:20It follows questions about access to the records of Bristol teenager Oliver McGowan.
00:25I'm Paula McGowan, OBE.
00:27I'm Thomas McGowan.
00:28Oliver went into hospital in 2016 having complex partial seizures.
00:33He was intubated and then he was given an anti-psychotic medication against his wishes and our wishes
00:41because he previously had an adverse reaction against those medications.
00:45Again, he'd had an adverse reaction despite our express wishes not to give him that medication.
00:52He contracted something called neuroleptic malignant syndrome,
00:55which shouldn't be fatal if treated quickly, but it wasn't treated quickly, it wasn't actioned on quickly and he then
01:01subsequently passed away.
01:02His mother, Paula, was told 38 people had accessed his record since his death, with 637 items viewed and 67
01:10documents printed.
01:11Shock, deeply saddened, disappointed and almost muddied.
01:19I felt Oliver's memory again had been muddied.
01:23It's hard to put into words just how devastating that made us feel.
01:27Bristol NHS Foundation Trust said most accesses reviewed had legitimate clinical or operational reasons.
01:34The Trust said it has referred the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office and will take appropriate action if misconduct
01:40is identified.
01:41I think there needs to be legislation around this.
01:44You know, this is much wider than Oliver.
01:46This is enormous.
01:48Our Health Minister needs to now step in and actually hold people accountable,
01:52but also put processes into place to prevent the, let's be honest, it's snooping, isn't it?
01:59Inappropriate snooping of confidential patient records.
02:04NHS England has warned that accessing records without a valid reason is unacceptable and against the law.
02:10Staff can face disciplinary action, including dismissal and potential criminal prosecution.
02:15Healthcare workers need access to confidential information to treat patients safely,
02:19but that access must be justified by their professional duties.
02:24Oliver was a typical teenager, actually.
02:27He was kind, loving, caring, giving, very sporty.
02:32He actually played for England FA Development Football Squads for Cerebral Palsy.
02:37He was in training to become a Paralympian.
02:40Do you know we talk about the bread and butter of a family?
02:42He was the butter.
02:43He kept us all together.
02:45We adored him.
02:46He was just full of fun and laughter and happiness, and that's been silenced.
02:52That's gone from our lives now.
02:55He's not here anymore, and we don't hear that laughter anymore.
