Patients using NHS services rightly expect their information to be kept secure by the people who treat them. This is why recent reports in the media of staff accessing patient information in unauthorised circumstances are a a concern.

Accessing patient records out of curiosity or for personal reasons is illegal. It causes real harm to patients and could have serious consequences on your career. 

NHS Digital have created some guidance for healthcare colleagues. The guidance explains the types of unlawful access, including for personal use.

So please remember that unless you are involved in the direct care of a patient, or the administration of that care, there is absolutely no reason why you should be accessing any healthcare record, even your own.

Access to all electronic Trust systems that hold patient information is audited, so our IT colleagues can see who has accessed a patient record, when they have accessed it and what the purpose of that access was.