§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he took to ensure that no information containing sensitive personal data relating to patients at Whittington hospital, Mrs. Rose Addis, Mr. J. Scott-Faulkner and Mr. S. Hockley was processed, beyond that deliberately made public by the patients themselves. [31379]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 29 January 2002]: Responsibility for the processing of data relating to patients at the Whittington hospital rests with the hospital, subject to guidance issued by the Department. Guidance issued in March 1996 made it clear that patient consent should be sought prior to disclosing confidential information to the media and that even where patients themselves make details public, national health service bodies remain bound by patient confidentiality.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health who(a) inside and (b) outside the NHS has had access to the patient records of Mrs. Rose Addis, Mr. S. Hockley and Mr. J. Scott-Faulkner since 20 January; whether such access was for medical purposes; and if the explicit consent of the data subject was obtained for such access. [31382]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 29 January 2002]: The operational procedures of the Whittington hospital are the responsibility of the hospital. Guidance issued by the Department makes it clear that all national health service bodies are expected to comply with all relevant legal requirements, including those relating to data protection and patient confidentiality.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health who the Caldicott Guardians and data protection officers are in respect of patient records at the Whittington hospital for patients Mrs. Rose Addis, Mr. J. Scott-Faulkner and Mr. S. Hockley. [31378]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 29 January 2002]: Dr. Norman Parker, medical director at the Whittington hospital national health service trust is the Caldicott Guardian. Mr. Leo Bremner is the data protection officer.