Scot NHS trust probes access to medical records of 9-year-old girl after man arrested on suspicion of murder
Investigation into whether staff improperly accessed Minnie Merriman’s file after she was named for the first time this week
A Scottish NHS trust is currently investigating a data breach involving the medical records of a nine-year-old girl who passed away earlier this week. The incident occurred at Ninewells Hospital in Arbroath, and police have charged a 35-year-old man with her death. The girl, Minnie Merriman, was named publicly for the first time on Wednesday.
The alleged breach involved staff accessing the girl's records without authorization or clinical necessity. NHS Tayside, the hospital's overseeing organization, stated that any data protection breach would be recorded and investigated, and reported to the Information Commissioner's Office if necessary. However, they declined to provide further details on the accessed data or the individual responsible for the intrusion.
The UK's Data Protection Act 2018 and common law confidentiality rules protect medical records, with NHS staff only permitted to access patient information under legitimate clinical or work-related circumstances. The man arrested was reportedly known to the child and has been remanded in custody. Police Scotland is not currently seeking additional suspects in connection with Minnie Merriman's death, and her family is receiving support from specialists.
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