An investigation has been initiated following the unauthorized access of the medical records of a three-year-old boy who was thrown into a crocodile enclosure by a stranger last week, with around 40 hospital staff members reportedly viewing the information.
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) has voluntarily reported the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office and is conducting an internal inquiry to ascertain the validity of the staff members’ reasons for accessing the child’s records.
The young boy, a resident of Cambridgeshire, who was involved in the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst and ended up in a crocodile pit at a local zoo, is currently in stable condition after receiving treatment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, managed by CUH.
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection to the incident but was later released on bail as he was deemed unfit for questioning due to reported learning difficulties and being under the care of supervisors during the outing.
A spokesperson for CUH emphasized the organization’s stringent data protection policies and stated that any breach of patient confidentiality is taken very seriously, with appropriate disciplinary actions, including termination, for staff found violating the rules. The hospital notifies both the ICO and affected patients and families in the event of any breaches.
According to Cambridgeshire Police, the boy’s condition has improved from critical to stable while recovering in the hospital after allegedly being attacked by one or more crocodiles following his entry into the enclosure, prompting an emergency response from the authorities.
Tracey Johnson, the spouse of the zoo proprietor, reportedly intervened by entering the enclosure to rescue the child during the distressing incident.
In a separate incident, a former healthcare worker recently received a caution from the ICO for attempting to obtain and sell the medical records of the Princess of Wales.
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