HSE extends dumped medical files investigation

INVESTIGATIONS into the discovery of hundreds of dumped medical files at a former landfill outside Cork city will move to an adjacent piece of land next week.

Excavations around an already-uncovered piece of ground at the site near the village of Glounthaune have been completed but, because of the extent of the file dumping, the HSE has decided to remain on site when another section of the land will be dug, probably early next week.

About 100 worried members of the public have already contacted the HSE to establish if their hospital files are among those uncovered during work in the area, while the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is still waiting for a report on the issue which it requested “urgently” a week ago.

Before the second dig is carried out, HSE security personnel will remain on site to secure the area which is part of a 16-acre former landfill site which was licensed to take dry, non-organic and non-toxic goods during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Construction work on the new Cork-Midleton commuter rail line uncovered hospital patient records from the 1970s and early 1980s in recent weeks. The files, from Cork General (now University) Hospital and St Finbarr’s Hospital, were spotted by residents of the area who alerted the Irish Examiner. After being notified of the discovery by the Irish Examiner, the HSE and Cork County Council launched immediate investigations into the dumping.

HSE spokeswoman Angie O’Brien confirmed yesterday that all of the rubble uncovered during the initial excavation had been removed from the site. “That’s being sifted through,” she said. “We’re hoping to have that completed before the week is out.”

The HSE doesn’t yet know how many files have been dumped at the Glounthaune site and that more work would have to be done. “An additional section of earth, in the immediate vicinity of where the patient information/files were retrieved last week, will be dug out early next week as part of the preparatory works for the railway. HSE staff will be present at this dig in case any patient information is excavated,” said Ms O’Brien.

Patients whose records were dumped on the site will be contacted when all of the files have been recovered and secured. In the meantime, Ms O’Brien said any calls to the HSE helpline from members of the public have been returned or are in the process of being returned.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has yet to receive an update from the HSE on the dumped medical files, despite asking for an “urgent report” last Thursday.

Spokesman Diarmuid Hallinan said yesterday that the office was anxious to ensure that the file-dumping at Glounthaune outside Cork city was “an isolated incident”. He said, however, that if it emerged that there may have been other cases of such disposal of medical records, action would have to be taken. “If it is not isolated, then searches will have to be done to see where else records have been dumped.”

The Data Protection Commissioner is satisfied that there is no risk to medical records from recent years, following the publication of a code of conduct by the National Hospitals Office, in consultation with the commissioner. “The danger is to records that came from the 1970s and 1980s,” said Mr Hallinan.

* The HSE helpline is 1850 742000.