🚨NUH Loses 11 Years of Maternity Data Due to IT Error
11 years of maternity data gone in a routine IT mistake
TL;DR
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust lost 11 years of maternity records due to a human error in IT. The data loss impacts patient care history but not current care. NUH is working to recover data and strengthen controls.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) lost 11 years of maternity records due to a human error in IT. A routine technical process overwritten the wrong database, wiping data from September 2011 to November 2022. NUH was unable to retrieve some of the data, including complete history of who viewed records. This impacts patient care history but not current care. NUH is working with external specialists to recover as much data as possible and strengthen technical controls to prevent future incidents. The police are investigating the broader case of systemic failings and whether the data loss impacts it.
Key Points
NUH lost data from September 2011 to November 2022 due to a routine technical process error.
The error occurred on August 18, 2023, and was announced in a blog post.
NUH was unable to retrieve complete history of who viewed maternity records during the period.
NUH is working with external specialists to recover as much data as possible.
A police investigation is underway into allegations of systemic failings and potential criminal charges.
Why It Matters
If you're handling sensitive patient data, this is a stark reminder of the risks of human error in IT processes. NUH's incident highlights the importance of robust data backup and recovery protocols. The police investigation also underscores the potential legal implications of data loss in healthcare.
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