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| Files found in abandoned hospital | Files found in abandoned hospital |
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| Confidential patient information has been left lying in an abandoned hospital in Lanarkshire, BBC Scotland can reveal. | Confidential patient information has been left lying in an abandoned hospital in Lanarkshire, BBC Scotland can reveal. |
| X-rays marked with patients' names, photographs and other paperwork were found scattered at Law Hospital in Carluke, which closed in 2001. | X-rays marked with patients' names, photographs and other paperwork were found scattered at Law Hospital in Carluke, which closed in 2001. |
| The discovery comes weeks after it emerged children's medical records had been left in a disused Dundee hospital. | |
| NHS Lanarkshire said it was taking the matter extremely seriously. | |
| The discovery came to light after amateur photographer Gary Whittle sent shots of the hospital to the BBC Scotland news website. | The discovery came to light after amateur photographer Gary Whittle sent shots of the hospital to the BBC Scotland news website. |
| Mr Whittle said he and three friends, who have an interest in taking "atmospheric" photographs of abandoned buildings, were simply able to walk into the hospital. | Mr Whittle said he and three friends, who have an interest in taking "atmospheric" photographs of abandoned buildings, were simply able to walk into the hospital. |
| The 28-year-old finance director, from Edinburgh, said: "I was pretty surprised that I could get into the building. | The 28-year-old finance director, from Edinburgh, said: "I was pretty surprised that I could get into the building. |
| Inside the abandoned Law HospitalIn pictures | Inside the abandoned Law HospitalIn pictures |
| "It's a massive place. It looks as though people just upped and left. | "It's a massive place. It looks as though people just upped and left. |
| "There were loads of photos and x-rays scattered about. There was one black and white photograph of a little girl that really stood out." | "There were loads of photos and x-rays scattered about. There was one black and white photograph of a little girl that really stood out." |
| BBC Scotland health correspondent Eleanor Bradford visited the hospital and found x-rays clearly marked with patients' names, photographs of injuries, and other material marked "confidential". | BBC Scotland health correspondent Eleanor Bradford visited the hospital and found x-rays clearly marked with patients' names, photographs of injuries, and other material marked "confidential". |
| She said that although the former hospital has a security guard at the front gate, there was open access from the side. | She said that although the former hospital has a security guard at the front gate, there was open access from the side. |
| In a statement NHS Lanarkshire said that when Law Hospital was vacated, extensive checks were undertaken of the site. | |
| A spokeswoman said: "We are currently undertaking a full search of the Law Hospital site to ascertain the details of the documentation referred to by the BBC. | |
| "We are taking this situation extremely seriously and will launch a full investigation if patient clinical information has been found at that site." | |
| Experts said the data found could be enough to identify individuals, which would be a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998. | Experts said the data found could be enough to identify individuals, which would be a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998. |
| X-rays were found scattered about the building | X-rays were found scattered about the building |
| Grant Campbell, an expert on data protection at the law firm Brodies, said medical records came very close to the top of the list of confidential information protected by the act. | Grant Campbell, an expert on data protection at the law firm Brodies, said medical records came very close to the top of the list of confidential information protected by the act. |
| Further photographs obtained by the BBC Scotland news website, taken by another photographer Simon Tealth last year, revealed huge piles of medical files had been left in the building. | Further photographs obtained by the BBC Scotland news website, taken by another photographer Simon Tealth last year, revealed huge piles of medical files had been left in the building. |
| The hospital in Carluke was built in 1939 as an emergency medical service hospital and closed its doors on 25 May, 2001. | The hospital in Carluke was built in 1939 as an emergency medical service hospital and closed its doors on 25 May, 2001. |
| In January this year developers announced a £100m project to create 500 homes on the site. | In January this year developers announced a £100m project to create 500 homes on the site. |
| In May it emerged that documents had been found at Strathmartine Hospital on the outskirts of Dundee, including details about a girl's adoption and a child with foetal alcohol syndrome. | In May it emerged that documents had been found at Strathmartine Hospital on the outskirts of Dundee, including details about a girl's adoption and a child with foetal alcohol syndrome. |
| NHS Tayside has admitted responsibility for the situation and the Scottish Government health directorate launched an investigation into the matter. | NHS Tayside has admitted responsibility for the situation and the Scottish Government health directorate launched an investigation into the matter. |
| Are you a former patient at Law Hospital? Are you concerned at the discovery of the confidential information? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you a former patient at Law Hospital? Are you concerned at the discovery of the confidential information? Send us your comments using the form below. |