Doctors may be prosecuted if their laptops are stolen

Doctors who have laptops containing patients’ records stolen from their cars could end up in court. Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, said a “blatant breach of fundamental observation” should attract criminal penalties.

He told the Lords’ Constitution Committee that this was a new criminal offence being sought to enforce compliance with data protection laws. The offence would be for knowingly or recklessly flouting data protection principles. Offenders could be fined up to £5,000 in a magistrates’ court or unlimited sums in the Crown Court.

Mr Thomas said: “If a doctor, or hospital [employee] leaves a laptop containing patients’ records in his car and it is stolen, it is hard to see that is anything but gross negligence.”