Staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital inappropriately accessed the medical records and shared explicit photos of surgical procedures of a terminally ill woman diagnosed with breast cancer. The incident occurred after the patient, Gemma Sabatino, was hospitalised for two months following a fall from a bridge in November 2023.
Suspicion arose when a friend overheard a conversation in a hair salon about Gemma's medical records and claimed to have seen surgical photos on WhatsApp. Gemma requested information from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust regarding five individuals suspected of unauthorised access.
The trust later confirmed that three staff members had inappropriately accessed her files. The two others reportedly had legitimate reasons. A spokesperson for the trust acknowledged the complaint and stated that they are investigating the matter in accordance with trust policies. The incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
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