Watchdog contacts hospital over privacy fears

The Data Protection Commissioner has contacted the hospital at the centre of an abortion information leak over concerns that a patient’s privacy may have been breached.

A spokeswoman for Commissioner Billy Hawkes said “very informal contact” was made with the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street on Monday after the incident was reported in Friday’s Irish Times.

An article in the newspaper provided significant details on the pregnant woman in the case, on the grounds that the termination would be the first to take place under the recently drawn-up Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013.

However, this claim was later proven to be inaccurate, as administrative issues mean the legislation in question has yet to be introduced in hospitals.

Mr Hawkes’ spokeswoman said the Data Protection Commissioner has not opened its own investigation into the case.

However, she said the “informal” contact was made to remind all staff at the hospital — which is carrying out its own inquiry — of the seriousness of such a patient privacy breach.

“We were bringing their attention to the codes of practice and reminding them that if there is found to be a breach during the investigation, they should let us know,” said the spokeswoman.

In the immediate aftermath of the article last Friday, Peter Boylan, a senior consultant obstetrician at the facility, hit out at the information leak on RTÉ show Morning Ireland.

Dr Boylan warned it was “absolutely unacceptable for patient details to be splashed around the front pages of the newspaper”.

He added that “patient confidentiality is absolutely critical in our dealing with women in sensitive and difficult situations”.

The article received significant attention due to what the newspaper said were the close similarities between the Holles Street case and that of Savita Halappanavar.

Ms Halappanavar, a 31-year-old Galway-based dentist originally from India, died last October at Galway University Hospital.

Her death played a central role in pushing the Dáil and Seanad to draw up new legislation outlining the circumstances in which abortion can be allowed in Ireland.