Data office learns of laptop thefts on the radio

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has been severely criticised for failing to inform the Data Protection Commissioner of the theft of 15 laptops, one of which was used by a social worker, from offices in Co Roscommon.

Yesterday, a spokesperson for the commissioner’s office said the data protection authorities first learned of the theft from RTÉ lunchtime radio news.

The commissioner has sought an urgent meeting with HSE officials to discuss this latest theft of laptops containing sensitive and confidential information.

It emerged that information on 13 of the laptops was encrypted but the other two laptops contained confidential information that could be accessed by whoever has possession of the machines.

The HSE said it was satisfied that there was no identifying information in relation to patients or clients “on one of the non-encrypted laptops”.

The HSE said it was awaiting the incident report “about the stolen laptop that was not encrypted and which may or may not contain sensitive information”. The HSE expects to receive this report in the coming days.

“The Data Protection Commissioners Office has been informed and where any clinically sensitive information is confirmed, we will be acting immediately to take the appropriate steps,” the statement added.

Barnardos, the children’s welfare organisation, has called for a review of the HSE’s encryption systems following the robbery.

Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay said the organisation highlighted shortcomings in the HSE’s systems months ago, particularly with regard to encryption, and he called for a review of the situation.

The laptops were stolen on Friday night from the Roscommon Primary, Community and Continuing Care Department at Lanesboro Road.

It is understood the machines were taken from 10 or 11 different offices, but there was no evidence of forced entry.

The HSE is conducting an internal investigation into exactly what information was on the laptops.

“Of the two machines that were not encrypted, one contained office training slides and we are checking the content of the fifteenth. The two unencrypted laptops can only be accessed through the use of user names and passwords,” a spokesman said.

Sergeant Padraic Burke said yesterday they could give no further information as the investigation was in its infancy.

Local Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten said the theft highlighted how the HSE has learned nothing about data protection despite mistakes made by other Government departments.

“The fact that two of the 15 laptops stolen in Roscommon town were not encrypted clearly highlights the fact that the HSE as a national organisation is failing to put in place even some of the most basic requirements for patient confidentiality at local level,” he said.