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Thousands of NHS patients in Wales have been told an unprotected memory stick containing their personal details is missing.

The USB stick was lost in transit between a GP surgery in Lampeter, Ceredigion, and the NHS Wales Business Services Centre, based in Pontypool.

The memory stick – which was not encrypted or password-protected – had been used to store patients’ names, addresses, dates of birth and NHS numbers.

Hywel Dda Local Health Board (the body overseeing healthcare services across mid and west Wales) said the memory stick did not contain any clinical information.

In light of the data loss, the Health Board has now written to all GP practices, opticians, dentists and pharmacists to remind them, it said, ‘of the importance of the patient data security and to reinforce the formal procedure for the safe transfer of patient data’.

Source: WalesOnline, 1 April 2010.