NHS staff warned they could face prison if they inappropriately access patient data

BMJ 2026 Open access

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Authors: Jacqui Wise
DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2026-100225
Cited by: 3
References: 1

Abstract

NHS staff warned they could face prison if they inappropriately access patient data Jacqui WiseThe head of the NHS has warned that staff could face the sack or even prison if they access patient records without a legitimate reason.Jim Mackey, NHS England chief executive, said that NHS staff looking at medical records for personal reasons or out of curiosity was "wholly unacceptable, a disgraceful breach of patient trust

Fields of Study & Subjects

Healthcare Systems and Challenges Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare Health Services Management and Policy

Publication details

Journal / source
BMJ
Publisher
BMJ
Volume
394
Pages
e100225–e100225
Publication date
8 July 2026
Language
EN