St. Vincents hospital in Dublin is reported to have misplaced an external hard drive containing the medical records of a number of patients. It is reported that notices have been circulated amongst staff asking if anyone had seen the hard drive.

The incident has been reported to the Data Commissioner and an internal investigation is underway. The hospital is in the process of creating a report advising the Data Protection Office of the circumstances surrounding the loss of the hard drive and the implementation of measures that will prevent any future incidents of this nature.

The records relate to a number of patients who are believed to have attended the hospital during 2002 and 2008 suffering from laryngeal disorders.

The Data Protection Commissioner is unable to comment in detail until their own investigation into the matter is completed.