A London sexual health clinic accidentally sent HIV status, names, and email addresses of 780 patients in a newsletter email Tuesday.
Patients at the 56 Dean Street clinic, operated by the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, were supposed to be blind copied in an email but their information was sent out as a group message instead, according to a statement on the hospital website. The confidential information was sent to patients that had attended the HIV clinics and opted for the OptionE service allowing them to book appointments and receive test results online, the BBC reported.
“We have immediately contacted all the email recipients to inform them of the error and apologise,” a hospital spokesperson said in the statement.
The incident is being investigated by the Information Commissioner's Office and the clinic faces a maximum fine of $562,020.
