In what has been described as a serious failure in data protection, Liverpool University Hospital Foundation Trust (LUHFT) mistakenly shared sensitive employee information in an email, exposing the personal details of almost 14,000 staff members.
What does this mean for you?
The exposed information included:
- Names and addresses
- National Insurance numbers
- Dates of birth
- Salaries and payroll details
- Gender and ethnicity
This information could be used in identity theft, fraud, and cyber scams.
If your data was exposed in the LUHFT data breach, you may be due compensation. Even if no immediate harm has come to you, the exposure of such data can cause significant emotional distress and you have the right to make a claim.
Why does this matter?
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, all organisations – including public sector bodies like the NHS – have a legal duty to protect personal information. This means they must implement strong security measures to prevent unauthorised access, accidental leaks, and cyberattacks.
When an organisation fails to protect personal data, as in the case of Liverpool University Hospital Foundation Trust (LUHFT), affected individuals have the right to take legal action. Crucially, GDPR is not just about financial losses. It also recognises the emotional distress and psychological impact of having your data exposed.
What Are Your Rights Under GDPR?
If your data has been compromised in a breach, you are entitled to:
- Be informed: Organisations must notify individuals about a data breach that poses a risk to their rights and freedoms without undue delay. In the LUHFT case, affected employees should have been promptly informed so they could take steps to protect themselves.
- Seek compensation: If your personal data has been mishandled or exposed, you have the right to claim compensation. This includes for emotional distress and financial impact.
How did LUHFT fail to meet GDPR standards?
LUHFT’s failure to prevent this breach, and the potential risks now faced by thousands of employees, highlights serious concerns about data security in the NHS and public sector. Some key failings include:
- Failure to protect data: A hospital trust handling sensitive employee and patient data should have robust safeguards in place. The fact that personal information was accidentally shared in an email suggests serious gaps in security procedures.
- Failure to prevent human error: While cyberattacks often cause data breaches, this incident was the result of an internal error. GDPR requires organisations to train staff properly to prevent mistakes that could compromise sensitive information.
Check your eligibility with Join the Claim
If you were one of thousands of staff members affected by the LUHFT data breach, you have the right to seek compensation. You don’t have to go through this alone. Join the Claim is helping affected individuals take legal action. Find out if you qualify today.
