Wrong organs taken from donors raises fears over data protection
An independent review is due to take place following the removal of the wrong organs from donors. Health officials will now begin the process of informing the families of more than 21 victims whose organs were removed by mistake. Family members are likely to feel partly responsible as they will have been asked for permission for the transplant to take place, not realising that their loved ones’ requests may not be adhered to during the process. The incident raises questions about the security and accuracy of sensitive information within the NHS. Up to 800,000 people who registered their details via driving licence applications are currently being verified.
The technical error became apparent when the NHS Blood and Transplant service began writing to individuals to confirm their preferences; to date over 400,000 records have been corrected.
There is concern that recent events will deter people from signing up for the organ donation scheme as they fear that the information they provide will not be taken into account following their death. Recent cases have seen the removal of eyes and heart from people who specifically requested against removal. Donors also fear that recent events could place a greater burden on relatives to ensure that their requests upon death are followed. This could have a major impact on the 10,000 people who are waiting on the donor list and could increase the toll of 1000 people who die whilst waiting for an organ.
If you have been affected by any issues raised in this article please contact us on 0800 158 5258 to speak to one of our specialist advisors.