Pippa Boardman says her cancer diagnosis was disclosed to an acquaintance by an NHS worker who had breached data protection rules. She was then told by the acquaintance that she had cancer, rather than receiving the information through the expected confidential process.
Boardman said the disclosure left her feeling that she had lost her “dignity and privacy”. The account raises concerns about the handling of sensitive medical information and the impact of an unauthorised disclosure on a patient.
The available details do not identify the NHS worker involved, explain how the information was accessed or state when the disclosure took place. They also do not include a response from the NHS or details of any investigation or disciplinary action.
The latest information supplied confirms Boardman’s account of the disclosure and its effect on her, but provides no further details about the outcome of the data-breach case.