Details on the number of staff in each trust that have faced investigation has been released under Freedom of Information (FoI) requests.<\/p>\n
It follows the revelation in August that there had been over 40 incidents of \u201cinappropriate access to patient information\u201d<\/a> on the supposed state-of-the-art system, which was switched on in 2023 with the aim of moving patient files from paper to digital and streamlining access to records for medical professionals.<\/p>\n The roll-out of the system across all trusts was completed in May 2025, and patients were advised that medical staff \u201cwill only access your information on a strict \u2018need to know\u2019 basis or when they are involved in your period of care\u201d.<\/p>\n However, that has proved not to be the case, as all five health trusts have confirmed reported incidents of staff accessing records without permission.<\/p>\n After the Department of Health revealed over 40 reported cases in the summer, the Irish News submitted FoI requests to each health trust asking how many individual staff members have been investigated, and the outcomes in each case.<\/p>\n In the Belfast Health Trust, where there had been 16 suspected incidents, 17 staff have faced investigation.<\/p>\n Of those, five faced \u201cformal disciplinary sanction\u201d, while six still face \u201congoing investigations\u201d.<\/p>\n A number less than five faced \u201cinformal action\u201d, while a number under five faced no further action.<\/p>\n A number less than five had their employment with the trust ended before an outcome of a probe.<\/p>\n The exact number in cases under five cannot be revealed under FoI legislation, the trust said, \u201cas the small numbers involved could make patients personally identifiable\u201d.<\/p>\n The South Eastern Trust revealed in its FoI response that nine individual staff have been \u201cmanaged under the trust disciplinary procedure\u201d.<\/p>\n In August, the trust confirmed nine access incidents were reported in 2024\/25, and a figure fewer than five in 2025\/26.<\/p>\n The Western Trust had two reported breaches that were reported to the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office (ICO).<\/p>\n It can now be revealed that two trust staff were investigated \u2013 one for a suspected incident in 2025 and one this year.<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s investigation was closed by the ICO \u201cwithout any further action\u201d, while the staff member linked to the 2026 incident is \u201ccurrently progressing through the Trust\u2019s disciplinary process\u201d.<\/p>\n The Southern Trust said a staff number fewer than five have been subject to formal investigation.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere investigations have concluded, appropriate action was taken in accordance with the Trust\u2019s disciplinary procedures,\u201d the trust said.<\/p>\n The Northern Trust \u2013 where it emerged in the summer there had been eight reported incidents \u2013 also confirmed a staff figure less than five had faced investigation.<\/p>\n They did not confirm the outcomes of these probes, claiming the details \u201ccould be potentially matched up with other information to allow individuals to be identified\u201d.<\/p>\n The Department of Health has said all healthcare staff \u201care contractually obligated to ensure that personal data is treated with the highest levels of confidentiality\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cProcedures are also in place to deal with any suspected data security breach,\u201d a spokesperson said. <\/p>\n However, the chair of Stormont\u2019s health committee, Sinn F\u00e9in MLA Philip McGuigan, said the number of staff that have faced investigations is \u201cdeeply concerning\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cEncompass has the potential to improve patient care, give staff timely access to the information and support a more joined up health service,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPatients must have confidence that their sensitive medical information is protected.<\/p>\n \u201cThese cases must be thoroughly investigated, with appropriate action where wrongdoing is established. The Department of Health must ensure robust safeguards and effective monitoring are in place across every health trust.\u201d<\/p>\n Encompass \u2013 which was \u00a3100m over budget \u2013 has also caused other problems for the health service, including around 12,000 items of patient correspondence disappearing from the system<\/a>.<\/p>\n These included high priority \u201cred flag\u201d letters due to have been sent to patients.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, it has been warned the cost to run Encompass is \u201cspiralling out of control\u201d<\/a>, with the required budget for this year rising from \u00a315m to \u00a335m.<\/p>\n Concern over healthcare staff accessing patient data without permission is also being reported in Britain, where a health trust has now sacked a total of 15 workers for accessing the records of the three victims fatally stabbed in the Nottingham attacks in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Mo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LS75QCFJNRDEPK5NYYT3NROWEE.jpg\")
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