Thousands of details lost by NHS

The personal details of 26,000 people in Lincolnshire have been lost after two memory sticks used by the NHS were reported missing.

The memory sticks belonged to the NHS Lincolnshire Smoking Cessation Service (or Phoenix) and were originally reported missing to the police in June.

More information about the files on the memory sticks came to light in October and police were informed once again.

There has been no evidence so far of details getting into the wrong hands.

People's names, addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth and NHS referral details were stored on the memory sticks - most of which are available from public sources, an NHS spokesperson said.

'Rigorous policies'

NHS Lincolnshire chief executive John McIvor said: "We take issues of information security very seriously and have rigorous information security policies in place.

"As soon as we became aware of the suspected data loss, we immediately reported it to the police.

"Given the many thousands of contacts our staff have with clients, all of which involve the use of records and information, NHS Lincolnshire has a very good track record in information management.

"It is most regrettable that this situation has occurred as it falls below our usual high standards."

He added the trust had significantly increased the investment in encrypting all of its stored personal information.

The memory sticks were discovered to be missing from a locked drawer within Lincolnshire NHS, a spokesperson said, and a full investigation is under way.

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