Hospital trust loses patient data

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A computer memory stick containing the records of thousands of hospital patients in Bradford has been lost.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has started an investigation and admitted "established procedures were not followed".

It has written to 2,650 patients whose details were stored on the device and 3,000 others on its waiting lists whose records may also have been lost.

A female administration worker has resigned over the incident.

It is believed she took the non-secured memory stick off trust premises last month and lost it in the library of Leeds Metropolitan University.

In a letter to patients, trust chief executive Miles Scott said: "I am writing to inform you that on Tuesday 21 April 2009 a computer device (USB memory stick) containing patient information was lost from the foundation trust.

This is the first time such an incident has occurred within our hospitals and we are taking it extremely seriously Miles Scott, chief executive at Bradford Teaching Hospitals

"Despite extensive efforts the memory stick has not been found.

"I am very sorry to tell you that it is likely information relating to you was held on this device.

"This information may include your name, address, date of birth, hospital NHS number, date of outpatient appointments and, in a small number of cases, a record of investigations you may have been referred for.

"This is the first time such an incident has occurred within our hospitals and we are taking it extremely seriously.

"I am sorry to say that established procedures were not followed in this instance, resulting in the loss of personal data."

One heart patient, who wished to remain anonymous, told BBC News he feared his personal details might already have fallen into the wrong hands.

Since the data was lost he said he had received "funny emails and phone calls" purporting to be from various banks.