A father is expressing his dismay after discovering that ambulance personnel may have breached his daughter’s medical records during a critical period when she was seriously injured in the Southport attack. He is calling for a comprehensive review by NHS England regarding the protocols and disciplinary actions for staff who inappropriately access patient information. The incident involved a 13-year-old girl, known as Child 6, who was attacked by Axel Rudakubana while at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024 but survived the ordeal.
The father highlighted the breach of trust that occurred as his family reviewed documents provided by University Hospital Liverpool Group regarding breaches at Aintree Hospital. It was revealed that employees from the North West Ambulance Service might have accessed the girl’s records without proper justification. The document indicated that a small number of individuals within the ambulance service had potentially accessed the incident inappropriately.
While NWAS has not taken formal disciplinary action against the staff involved, they have reinforced their HR procedures for future incidents. Fletchers Solicitors, representing the majority of the surviving victims, including Child 6, are investigating a similar breach by Aintree Hospital staff.
Expressing his disappointment, the father emphasized the invasion of privacy his family experienced, particularly by ambulance staff within the initial critical hours of his daughter’s condition. He stressed the importance of patient consent and raised concerns about the sharing and retention of sensitive data without authorization.
Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, an Associate Solicitor at Fletchers Solicitors, condemned the culture of unauthorized data access within the NHS, calling for a comprehensive review of policies governing patient information breaches. She emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, especially as public bodies like the NHS are mandated to disclose such breaches under the Hillsborough Law Bill.
The father criticized the lenient sanctions imposed on staff members at Aintree Hospital for their unauthorized access to his daughter’s records. He called for stricter measures to prevent similar incidents and protect patient confidentiality, particularly in light of proposed healthcare reforms.
North West Ambulance Service’s Chief Executive, Salman Desai, acknowledged the concerns raised and assured a thorough investigation into the inappropriate access to patient records. He expressed regret for any distress caused and pledged to address the issue seriously.
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