Hospital probe after crocodile attack boy’s records are accessed

A hospital has launched an investigation after the medical details of a child seriously injured in a crocodile pit were accessed by up to 40 members of staff.

The three-year-old boy, who is now in a stable condition at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, was attacked in the enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst near Huntingdon.

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) said it was exploring if there were legitimate reasons for the records to be accessed and it had referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

It added: “Where any member of staff is found to have accessed patient records without legitimate clinical or operational reasons we take robust disciplinary action.”

Officers said they were called to the zoo at 13:34 BST on 18 June.

Police said the boy, who was from Cambridgeshire and visiting the zoo with his family, sustained serious injuries “while in the enclosure” and was pulled out by members of staff.

A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was subsequently arrested and bailed on suspicion of attempted murder.