Ten NHS employees have been removed from duty after concerns were raised that they accessed the medical records of three-year-old Noah Woods following his disappearance and death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust launched an urgent internal investigation after concerns emerged that staff may have viewed Noah’s confidential patient information without authorisation.
The Trust has apologised to Noah’s family for the additional distress caused by the suspected breach of privacy, which happened during an already devastating period for them.
Investigation began after Noah disappeared
The Trust’s information governance team began investigating potential breaches on September 17, prompted by the intense public attention surrounding Noah’s disappearance.
Electronic patient records were audited covering the period from 5.30pm on September 15, when Noah was reported missing, through the night of September 16, when police confirmed that he had died.
The Trust is also understood to be examining other systems because Noah had previously received treatment there.
Dr Martin Mansfield, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said accessing patient information without a legitimate reason was “completely unacceptable”.
“As soon as we became aware of concerns that Noah’s medical records may have been viewed inappropriately, we launched an urgent internal investigation,” he said.
The Trust said immediate measures were taken to secure Noah’s records and prevent any further access that was not connected to legitimate clinical purposes.
The matter has also been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office, with the Trust saying Noah’s family would continue to be kept informed.
Noah was found dead after frantic search
Noah, who was non-verbal and awaiting an autism assessment, disappeared in Brantham, Suffolk, after slipping through a gap in a play-park fence and running away from a relative.
A large search operation was launched as police, emergency services and members of the community searched for the missing three-year-old.
Around 24 hours after he disappeared, Noah was found dead in a pond.
His parents, Charlie Peck and Rhys Woods, previously described their son as “the centre of our world”.
The circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death have left his family and community grieving, while a memorial was created at the playground where the search began.
Trust promises disciplinary action
Dr Mansfield said the Trust had apologised “unreservedly” to Noah’s family for the additional anguish caused by the suspected breach of trust.
“We will take disciplinary action where needed,” he said.
The investigation will determine whether individual staff members accessed Noah’s records without a legitimate clinical reason and what action should follow.
The removal of ten NHS employees from duty comes amid wider concerns about staff accessing the medical records of high-profile patients simply out of curiosity.
NHS boss warns staff over medical record snooping
NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey had already warned hospital leaders that staff who access confidential patient information without proper justification could face serious consequences.
More than 2,000 NHS staff are reported to have been disciplined or dismissed over the past five years for improperly accessing private medical records.
Previous cases have involved medical information connected to other high-profile incidents, including the 2023 Nottingham triple murders and the 2024 Southport dance class attack.
On Friday, Sir Jim wrote to hospital bosses with a blunt warning that unauthorised access to patient records would not be tolerated.
“Anyone who thinks they can satisfy their curiosity by looking at a patient’s record should know this: they will be found out, they may lose their career, and could end up with a criminal record,” he said.
The investigation into the access of Noah Woods’ records remains ongoing, with the Trust expected to take further action if breaches are confirmed.