Edinburgh Southern MSP Jim Eadie has called for NHS Lothian staff to be given an apology by a Labour MP, if he cannot produce evidence to back up his claim that they may have made information available to the press from a child’s medical records.
The Guardian today retracted claims that information on Gordon Brown’s son had been “blagged” by the media from his medical records.
Labour MP Tom Greatrex had called for an immediate investigation into NHS staff and claimed NHS staff may have taken a bribe for the information.
Mr Eadie, who is also a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee said:
“Any breach of patient confidentiality, particularly the disclosure of a child’s medical condition, is utterly deplorable and has been condemned by the Health Secretary and by people across the political spectrum and beyond. On that, we all stand together.
“Tom Greatrex made very serious claims regarding the integrity of NHS staff and the security of patient information. He must produce evidence to back up his claims or he must retract them.
“He issued a press release on Tuesday alleging that medical records may have been leaked from within Scotland’s NHS, he demanded an immediate inquiry, and on national TV claimed that a member of NHS staff could have been bribed to leak the information.
“NHS Lothian has made clear they stand ready to investigate any claims brought forward. If there is no evidence then Tom Greatrex owes the staff of NHS Lothian an apology for casting a cloud of suspicion over them and their reputation.
“I hope and believe that he will do the decent thing. Either way, he cannot simply issue a press release on Tuesday and then say and do nothing more about such as serious matter.”
