Survey claims patients think NHS chiefs should be sacked over data losses

The public believes that senior health service managers should be held accountable for privacy protection and breaches, according to a survey by a health systems supplier.

Over 87% of respondents agreed that chief executives and senior management should be sacked or fined if they were aware of risks but failed to act and there is a serious breach, a poll of over 1,000 patients by US privacy auditing software company FairWarning claimed.

Patients were worried that sensitive medical and personal information could be stolen and used by criminals for theft or fraud, or disclosed to employers or family - with serious consequences for their careers or relationships.

"Most of those taking part in the poll had high demands of what the NHS should deliver in terms of confidentiality, wanting effective monitoring and firm enforcement of regulations," said the study.

And some were prepared to risk their health on the issue; the survey reports that they would postpone treatment or travel long distances to avoid hospitals they did not trust in order to keep sensitive information confidential.

The research will add weight to calls for the NHS to do more to tighten up on security of patient records. Jonathan Bamford, head of strategic liaison at the Information Commissioner's Office, recently admitted he was baffled by the rising tide of NHS privacy breaches and told NHS trusts to improve their information governance.

Nearly four in 10 respondents said they have, or would, put off seeking treatment, and well over half, have or would withhold information from clinicians, if a hospital had a poor reputation for security.

Some of those polled said that they would travel substantial distances (37% would go 30 miles or more) to avoid being treated at a hospital they did not trust in order to keep their sensitive information confidential.

"Patients across the UK have enormous faith in the NHS, but this survey reveals that more needs to be done for medical information to be shared and exchanged securely, and so to ensure the best patient outcomes," said Kurt Long, chief executive of the firm behind the research.