What to Know
At the beginning of Kate Middleton’s 2024 health crisis, she was a victim of a major privacy violation. After she was hospitalized at the London Clinic for a planned abdominal surgery, a hospital worker tried to sell her medical records, and now that the clinic has completed their investigation into the incident, they’ve shared what the employee’s punishment will be.
The privacy breach took place in early 2024.
It should go without saying that if one of the patients at your hospital is a royal, you really, really can’t mess up on the basics — like the privacy they rightly expect to have around the reason they’re in the hospital in the first place, like anybody else.
But still, somehow it happened. At least one employee at the London Clinic attempted to access Kate’s medical records so they could sell them for their own financial gain. The breach was reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) that March, and more than two years later, the ICO is sharing their findings.
The investigation is now complete.
In a statement shared by People, the ICO announced on Wednesday that the criminal investigation had concluded, and they found that the hospital worker was guilty of “the deliberate misuse of highly sensitive personal information and an offer to disclose it for financial gain, representing a clear breach of trust.”
The worker has received a “formal caution,” which they believe is an “appropriate and proportionate enforcement response.”
A source also told The Mirror that the employee in question has been fired.
“This has been a complex and delicate matter involving a senior member of the royal family and one of the world’s most trusted hospitals,” the source said. “There has been great anxiousness on all sides and it has been wholly appropriate that the correct procedures during the investigation have been followed.”
The hospital worker isn’t totally out of the woods yet.
While the ICO’s investigation is complete, The Mirror noted that Kate could choose to file a civil complaint against the worker for digging into her records, but so far, she hasn’t taken that step. It’s still an option for her, though.
“People should be able to trust that the personal information they’re giving to healthcare settings is safe and protected from exploitation,” said Ian Hulme, the executive director for regulatory supervision. “When this trust is broken, it’s right that the law allows us to take action. We will not hesitate to pursue criminal prosecution where it is necessary and proportionate to do so.”
It’s horrifying to think that such personal and sensitive information could have been so easily accessed at the hospital — both for Kate and for anyone who is treated there, royal or not. Hopefully, this has encouraged the clinic to tighten up their security procedures. Everyone’s health information should remain private.
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