We’re all a bit tired of hearing about data breaches, aren’t we? It seems like every other day there’s a new scandal to roll our eyes at. But this time, it’s a bit closer to home.
I’m talking about our very own Health Service Executive, known to you and me as the HSE, who have found themselves in a spot of bother.
Remember those trusty old paper records? You probably think they’re safe as houses, right? They’re not connected to the worldwide web, there’s no scary hacker in a basement somewhere beaming zeros and ones at them. Well, apparently we were all a bit mistaken there.
The Data Protection Commission, the lot in charge of making sure your personal information is as safe as a bank vault, have started poking around the HSE after the personal files of patients were… let’s say ‘left in some less-than-ideal places’.
You might be asking yourself what these ‘unsuitable locations’ were. Well, unfortunately the specifics are being kept hush-hush while the investigation is ongoing. But the spokesperson for the commission did let slip that the investigation is looking into how personal data in paper records is stored and kept.
What does this mean for your average Joe or Jane? After all, many of us have had dealings with the HSE at some point or another, be it through a hospital visit or that time you tripped over the dog and sprained your ankle. Well, the truth is we are waiting for details about who exactly this may affect.
But, before you start fretting, let me reassure you a little. This doesn’t necessarily mean that some rogue employee has been taking files home for a spot of light bedtime reading. Nor does it mean your details have been sold to the highest bidder on the dark web. This investigation is merely to find out what’s been going wrong and how it can be fixed.
After all, the last thing we need is our health service getting caught up in a data scandal. They’ve got their hands full fighting to keep us fit and healthy, especially given the strain that our poor NHS has been under recently.
So, while we’re waiting for more information, let’s spare a thought for those hardworking folk at the Data Protection Commission. They’re basically guardians of our personal data, making sure that from our bank details to our health records, everything stays nice and safe.
In this age of frightening technology breaches, it’s rather comforting to know that there are people out there looking out for us. Even if they are having to chase after errant paper records. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.
Anyway, don’t let this news keep you awake at night. And remember, having your ankle x-ray drop down the back of a filing cabinet might not be ideal but it’s not the end of the world. We’ve all got our fingers crossed that the HSE will get its act together soon, and we can all rest a bit easier knowing our personal data is in safe hands once again.
by Parker Bytes
