Southport and Nottingham Families Demand End to NHS Snooping

Relatives of victims of the Southport and Nottingham attacks have joined families affected by maternity scandals to call for an end to NHS staff snooping on medical records. They signed an open letter describing the breaches as deeply distressing and demanding stronger protections for patients' private information. Updates are expected soon.

The letter says staff looked at the records of Southport victims Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Da Silva Aguiar, who were killed in 2024. It also says NHS workers accessed Nottingham victims' records while families were grieving and some victims were still in hospital. The Ministry of Justice and HMCTS have apologised for inappropriate access.

The authors want a compulsory check that staff have a valid reason to view records, regular audits, and patients recognised by the Information Commissioner. They argue that NHS measures announced in September do not go far enough. The call raises fresh questions about how patient data is protected across the health service.