Confidential files found outside hospital grounds in the Midlands

There has been a significant increase in the number of data breaches at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

Patient files being found outside the hospital campus and a screenshot accidentally being posted to social media were among the 26 incidents reported in the last two years.

Details provided to the Leinster Express/Laois Live through a Freedom of Information request show the number of data breaches at the hospital more than doubled last year with 16 incidents recorded compared to six in 2022.

There were two incidents involving confidential documents being found outside the hospital grounds.

In another breach a document was found on hospital grounds and there were two incidents where documents were found by hospital staff members.

Personal data was provided to an agency in another breach recorded last year while a screenshot was posted to social media in a separate incident.

There were several incidents involving documents being sent to the wrong recipient or containing the wrong details.

Other breaches included a loss of a file through an archiving process, files being found on a printer, a referral was sent to the wrong HSE service and a record was given to the wrong patient.

According to the FOI there have been four data breaches recorded at the hospital so far in 2024.

A spokesperson for Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise said: “The HSE manages all breaches of data protection in line with data protection legislation and HSE policy.

“The HSE takes all breaches of data protection seriously and all such cases are fully investigated to establish how they occurred and preventative measures are then put in place to reduce the risk of such breaches happening again.

“Such preventative measures include: further staff training focusing on the root cause of data breaches revision of guidance documents based on learning from incidents raising the awareness of the importance of data protection through staff communications channels.

“GDPR/Data Protection training is delivered to HSE staff on an ongoing basis and the majority of HSE staff have successfully completed this training. All HSE staff are made aware of HSE policy in relation to data protection and the GDPR.

“The HSE continuously monitors arrangements to ensure compliance with data protection law and GDPR principles to ensure the security and confidentiality of the personal information of all our patients and service users,” the HSE said.