LOSS OF MEDICAL RECORDS OF DECEASED PERSONS

Motion Text

That this House notes that according to the Minister of Health, NHS organisations have a legal responsibility under the Data Protection Act to retain records safely and for a prescribed period; but that according to the Ministry of Justice, the Data Protection Act does not cover the processing and storage of data relating to deceased persons; that the Barts and London NHS Trust lost medical records of Dr Sugie Davie soon after her death on 22 December 2007 following stem cell treatment and blood transfusions; that the death was described as `baffling and unexpected'; and that despite extensive searches by the Trust since then the records have not come to light; deplores the repeated refusal of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to investigate the complaint of Paul Davie, constituent of the hon. Member for Ilford South; and calls for a review of the relevant legislation to cover the records of deceased persons.