Personal patient information published online

Anyone who thinks they might be affected has been asked to contact UHS' data inquiry team

Patient information has been published online after an NHS data breach.

It includes names, addresses and dates of birth of people who used University Hospital Southampton's UHS maternity services between 2016 and 2019.

The data was put on the website What Do They Know in November 2020 and removed on 31 October 2023, the NHS said.

Anyone who thinks they might be affected has been asked to contact UHS' data inquiry team.

A spokesperson for UHS apologised and said they were notified of the breach on 1 November and informed the Information Commissioner’s Office immediately.

The mistake occurred following a Freedom of Information request made by the website.

The UHS spokesperson said: “The information amounted to 42,000 lines of data and included a pivot table which, if manipulated, could reveal the home post code, date of birth and NHS number for attendees at certain appointments between 2016 and 2019."

The surnames of 112 patients were also visible but UHS assured patients "no clinical records or medical information could be accessed" other than a record of attendance at a maternity service appointment.

The UHS added: “As soon as we were informed, we launched a thorough investigation and our searches have found no evidence of the document existing elsewhere online.

“We would like to reassure our patients that further measures have now been put in place to protect all data, in line with national data protection guidance."