Mother of teen who died ‘deeply hurt’ that NHS staff may have accessed son’s records inappropriately

The mother of a teenager who died in 2016 says she is deeply hurt to learn that NHS staff in Bristol may have accessed her son’s medical records inappropriately after his death. The allegation centres on Oliver McGowan, whose death in a hospital in Bristol has already been the subject of a high-profile investigation into the care he received.

Who Oliver McGowan was

Oliver McGowan was an 18-year-old who died in 2016 at the South Western Regional Genetic Service in Bristol, shortly after being admitted to hospital. His death prompted a coroner’s inquest and subsequent investigations that examined the medical care he received and the decisions made by clinical staff in the period leading up to his death. The case has remained in the public eye because of concerns raised by his family about whether his treatment was appropriate and whether lessons were learned by the NHS trust involved.

Oliver’s mother, who has campaigned for transparency and accountability since his death, said the new allegation — that staff may have looked at his records after he died without any clinical justification — had caused her further distress. She described learning of the possibility as deeply hurtful, particularly given the family’s long efforts to understand what happened to her son.

What the records access allegation involves

Accessing a patient’s medical records outside of a legitimate clinical or administrative reason is a serious matter under NHS rules. Staff are required to access records only when they have a direct professional need, and unauthorised access can amount to a breach of patient confidentiality, with potential consequences under data protection law and the NHS staff code of conduct. In some cases, inappropriate access has led to disciplinary action, dismissals, and referrals to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

In this case, the allegation is that records belonging to a deceased teenager may have been opened by staff who had no treatment role and no authorised administrative reason to do so. The trust concerned has not, at this stage, publicly detailed how many staff members may be involved or what records were accessed, and investigators are still establishing the facts. The family has called for a full explanation and for any individuals found to have acted improperly to be held accountable.

Why it matters

Cases of inappropriate access to patient records erode public trust in the NHS’s ability to handle sensitive information securely. When the patient involved has already died in circumstances that attracted concern about the quality of care, the effect on the family is compounded. The case also raises practical questions for NHS trusts about how they monitor and audit access to records, particularly for high-profile patients whose files may attract unwarranted curiosity. Trusts across England have invested in access-monitoring systems in recent years, but the effectiveness of those systems depends on consistent review and a willingness to act on suspicious patterns.

ADVERTISEMENT

What happens next

The trust is expected to conduct an internal investigation, including a review of access logs, to determine whether any records were viewed inappropriately and by whom. If the investigation substantiates the family’s concerns, the individuals involved may face disciplinary proceedings and the trust may be required to report the incident under data protection rules. The family is likely to continue pressing for a transparent account of what happened and for assurances that the same thing cannot happen to another patient’s family.