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Unencrypted Pagers Expose Sensitive NHS Data
14 Aug
Summary
- UK transplant patient data was sent over unencrypted pagers by NHSBT.
- Names, dates of birth, and organ details were compromised.
- NHSBT has stopped sending data via pagers and reported the breach.
Sensitive medical data concerning UK transplant patients was routinely transmitted via an unencrypted pager network, as acknowledged by an NHS service. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) sent patient names, dates of birth, and details about offered or needed organs to hospital transplant teams using pagers, who were unaware the messages were not encrypted.
Despite an announcement in 2019 to phase out pagers by 2021, some NHS operations continued their use. NHSBT has expressed deep regret for the data breach and has reported the incident to the Information Commissioner. Crucially, the organization has ceased sending patient data through this insecure channel.
It remains unclear if the unencrypted information was accessed or how many individuals were affected, as recipients of pager messages cannot be tracked. The Department for Health stated that any patient information on legacy technologies must be handled securely.
The BBC investigation uncovered that various NHS trusts, ambulance services, and fire services also transmitted hundreds of messages over 10 days on the pager network, including details on mental health incidents and patient medical information.
