A LAPTOP containing personal details of scores of NHS patients is one of nearly 200 computers either stolen or missing from public bodies in the Lothians.
The computer held "extensive" data on the psychiatric and personal histories of participants in a medical study, as well as information on whether they had suffered physical or sexual abuse.
The laptop – stolen from the home of an NHS doctor prev
iously employed by Edinburgh University – is among around 180 electronic devices which have disappeared from public bodies in the Lothians in the past five years.
John Barrett, MP for Edinburgh West, said: "Everyone has become too lax as far as security is concerned. I think there has to be an immediate review of what data is travelling about on laptop and discs. The issue should be elevated to the top of the agenda."
Edinburgh University said the laptop holding patient details was stolen from the home of a consultant in October 2005 but could not say where that was.
The information, which was password-protected, included a study of 190 medical cases including "extensive data of psychiatric disorder and personal history including tick-box data on physical and sexual abuse".
The details were obtained by the Evening News using freedom of information legislation.
A spokesman for Edinburgh University said: "The university takes the security of its staff and property extremely seriously and is constantly striving to ensure it operates in as secure an environment as possible.
"However, from time to time, its buildings and staff inevitably fall victim to criminal opportunists."
The loss of the laptop led to an NHS internal review.
Dr Charles Swainson, medical director of NHS Lothian, said: "This incident occurred three years ago and we worked with Edinburgh University on a joint investigation to establish why it occurred and reviewed our arrangements to prevent any recurrence again in future.
"The individual involved in this incident was working as a research fellow for Edinburgh University when the data was wrongly downloaded. The laptop did not belong to the NHS. The data was collected as part of a research project and patients' consent had been obtained for their data to be used."
Edinburgh City Council admitted losing 99 laptops or PCs in the past five years but said just one machine held "limited client information," adding that no misuse of the details had been detected.
Among the details lost is "child welfare data" stored on laptops belonging to West Lothian Council. The authority said four laptops containing the data were among 28 computers lost or stolen from two of its departments.
A spokesman for the local authority later insisted none of the information lost was sensitive.
The full article contains 451 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
