An urgent investigation has been launched by the Exeter RD&E hospital trust.. into how confidential patient records being transferred there from Torbay ended up on the side of a road.
Two courier bags containing medical files were found by a member of the public on the A379 near Powderham Castle - and she contacted the Trust to return them.
They contained the confidential notes on a small number of Torbay Hospital patients, which were being sent to the Exeter hospital.
The RD&E Trust say they understand that their own courier service was being used to carry the documents, and they're trying to establish how the packages were mislaid in this way.
They say they take patient confidentiality very seriously and are deeply concerned that this has happened.
The incident has also been referred to the Information Commissioner's Office, which investigates breaches of data protection.
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