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Apology for dumped health records Probe into dumped health records
(about 1 hour later)
NHS Tayside has apologised after confidential information about children was left at an abandoned hospital. The Scottish Government has launched an inquiry into how patient information was left at an abandoned hospital.
The documents at Strathmartine Hospital included details about a young girl's adoption and a child born with foetal alcohol syndrome. The documents at Dundee's Strathmartine Hospital included details about a young girl's adoption and a child born with foetal alcohol syndrome.
The concerned local who found the details said she told the health board about it more than a year ago. During question time at Holyrood, Scottish Lib Dem leader Nicol Stephen called for Public Health Minister Shona Robison to quit over the row.
NHS Tayside said it expected to be on site on Thursday to make sure that all the paperwork was removed. NHS Tayside has admitted responsibility for the situation.
Dundee East MSP and Public Health Minister Shona Robison was also informed about the documents months ago. A concerned resident who found the details told the health board about it more than a year ago and Ms Robison, MSP for Dundee West, was informed several months ago.
During question time at Holyrood, First Minister Alex Salmond dismissed Liberal Democrat calls for her to resign. Ms Robison said she had been wrongly assured by NHS Tayside - whose chairman Sandy Watson apologised to her for the situation - that the problem was being dealt with.
Labour's Margaret Curran said: "The report shows that the minister has stood by and done virtually nothing while medical records have been left for all and sundry to see. The health board have put their hands up and acknowledged the serious situation and their responsibility for it Alex SalmondFirst Minister
"The minister for public health must have been aware of the sensitive nature of these documents and she should have taken action or at least referred it to officials. But, speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen accused her of not taking effective action.
"The minister appears to be guilty of a dereliction of duty in this matter." Calling for her resignation, he said: "Why didn't she stop to think about the piles of data that she knew about, discarded in an old hospital a short walk from her own constituency office?
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Ross Finnie added: "The minister's failure to take immediate and effective steps and allow these records to remain open to the public is a damning indictment of the minister and her department. "This SNP minister knew personal data was strewn across corridors and got nothing done. Will she now accept responsibility and do the honourable thing?"
Our main priority now is to get onto the site and remove these documents as a matter of the utmost urgency Danny McLarenNHS Tayside Dismissing the calls, the first minister said Ms Robison had twice notified NHS Tayside of the situation and pointed out that action was being taken to avoid a repeat.
"It is difficult, if not impossible to see how the public can have confidence in the minister given her inexcusable failure to protect the privacy of young children. Utmost urgency
"The minister should offer her resignation." "The health board have put their hands up and acknowledged the serious situation and their responsibility for it," he added.
However, a spokesman for Ms Robison insisted that the minister had been wrongly assured by Tayside health board that the problem was being dealt with. The Scottish Government health directorate has launched an investigation into the matter.
He said: "The minister did take up the issue. It was brought to her by her constituents, and she wrote on two separate occasions to the board. NHS Scotland chief executive Dr Kevin Woods has asked NHS Tayside for a detailed explanation about how the situation came about, given that Strathmartine had been in a prolonged, 20-year shutdown period.
"The board wrote back in February and indicated that the problem had been partly dealt with, and the remaining part would be dealt with. A Scottish Government spokesman added: "Health boards - not the health minister - are responsible for ensuring patient records are properly looked after."
"The minister not unreasonably assumed that the issue had been essentially sorted out." NHS Tayside assistant chief executive Danny McLaren said the situation should never have arisen, adding: "It is completely unacceptable and we apologise unreservedly."
Danny McLaren, assistant chief executive at NHS Tayside, said: "We fully acknowledge that this situation should not have arisen. It is completely unacceptable and we apologise unreservedly. Mr McLaren said work was under way to clear the documents from the site as a matter of utmost urgency.
"The chairman of NHS Tayside Mr Sandy Watson has written to the minister for public health apologising for this unacceptable situation. Despite the explanation, Labour spokeswoman Margaret Curran said: "The minister appears to be guilty of a dereliction of duty in this matter."
"Our main priority now is to get onto the site and remove these documents as a matter of the utmost urgency.
"We have contacted the owner again this morning and we expect that we will be on site today. We will then ensure that all paperwork is removed."