NHS workers across England, including those serving Bognor Regis, face immediate suspension if they are found to have accessed patient medical records without a valid clinical or administrative reason.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has issued a direct mandate to NHS trust chairs, enforcing a zero-tolerance approach to “snooping” on private health data. The directive, issued on 25 September 2026, follows several high-profile incidents involving unauthorised access to patient files across the health service.
The policy applies to all staff within the NHS in England. This includes personnel at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which provides acute care for Bognor Regis residents through St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester and Worthing Hospital.
Legal consequences and monitoring
Accessing medical records without a specific professional necessity is not only a disciplinary matter but also a criminal offence under the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has the authority to prosecute individual staff members found to be in breach of these laws.
According to The Guardian, the Health Secretary’s intervention aims to restore public trust in how the NHS handles sensitive personal information as the service moves towards more digitised record-keeping.
What this means for patients
The new directive clarifies that suspension should be the immediate response when a credible “flag” of inappropriate access is raised, pending a full investigation. This applies to all staff with access to electronic systems, including clinical practitioners, receptionists, and IT workers.