THE theft of a hospital laptop containing the details of more than 1500 patients could have been an inside job trust bosses have been told.
The computer, stolen from Calderdale Royal Hospital, contained 1,569 patient records including names, dates of birth and addresses when it was noticed missing on November 22 last year.
Now a report by Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust board members has concluded the computer, which was in the neurophysiology department, would probably have been filched during working hours.
The report states: “All access to this building is gained by fob access or digi-lock access, which suggests that someone with access codes to the building has gained access to the neurophysiology department."
The board members were told since the initial theft. there had been another attempted theft in the department.
Medical director Yvette Oade: “The computer was stolen from a locked department. There was no clear evidence of an external break-in."
Ms Oade said software was now in place to encrpyt any patient details on the machine - meaning patient confidentiality would not be breached if there were any more thefts.
A Trust spokesman said: “An investigation has been conducted and the laptop and the individual, or individuals, responsible have not been traced.”
A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “The matter was reported to police who pursued all active lines of inquiry and have advised the hospital to contact police should any futher information come to light.”
