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North West Ambulance Service Investigates Possible Staff Access to Southport Victims' Records, With No Formal Discipline
The BBC reported that North West Ambulance Service is investigating claims that staff inappropriately viewed medical records of victims from the July 2024 Southport attack. The probe follows a similar breach at Aintree Hospital and involves fewer than 10 potential cases at the ambulance service.
Jul 14, 1:26 PM·1m read1 source
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The BBC reported that North West Ambulance Service is investigating accusations that staff inappropriately accessed the medical records of victims of the Southport attack. The attack on 29 July 2024 killed three girls and injured 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Three girls died in the attack: Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe.
A 13-year-old girl survived after being stabbed in the back and arm while supervising the class. Three adults also survived, including dance instructor Leanne Lucas. The father of the 13-year-old survivor said he was appalled at the possibility that staff accessed his daughter's records to satisfy their own morbid curiosity.
He described it as a complete breach of trust in our darkest hours as a family and said the decision to share what happened to her should have been our daughter's to make. Fletchers Solicitors, which reviewed documents from an earlier breach, stated that under 10 individuals at North West Ambulance Service might have inappropriately accessed records related to the incident.
The ambulance service is not formally disciplining staff but has strengthened its HR process for future incidents.
Leanne Lucas said she was devastated and horrified by the potential data breach. She stated that life has never been the same since 29 July 2024 and that she is waiting to hear from the service whether her records were accessed. The BBC reported that the service has notified the Information Commissioner's Office of its internal investigation.
The ICO said it will assess evidence and consider whether criminal investigations for data protection law violations need to be opened. This follows a May 2025 incident in which nearly 50 staff members at Aintree Hospital accessed the medical records of some Southport attack victims without good reason.
