Stolen unencrypted hospital laptop causes discussions on data encryption

An unencrypted laptop belonging to a Yorkshire hospital was stolen potentially impacting 1,500 patients. According to the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, the laptop was used as part of an electromyography (EMG) scanner in the hospital and had no data encryption deployed.

At a recent meeting of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust's board of directors, medical director Yvette Oade said that discussions were ongoing with manufacturers as to whether data could be encrypted to prevent information being accessed if such an event occurred again.

She told the Examiner: “They wanted us to put software on to the computers to create the encryption but the information service was anxious not to disturb the functioning of the equipment. The patients were all written to and a number of queries were raised, we responded quickly and they appeared to be reassured.”