Yorkshire Ambulance Trust is investigating two members of staff who are alleged to have accessed the medical records of William Chapman, 24, without a legitimate reason after he was fatally mauled by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
Chapman, a former child actor, died on October 10 after climbing a fence and entering the enclosure of Altai, a 420-pound Siberian tiger. His cause of death was later recorded as multiple traumatic injuries and animal interaction.
According to The Guardian, ambulance officials told health trade publication HSJ that there were “two instances” in which Chapman’s medical information was accessed without a legitimate reason. The breach is reported to have happened shortly after news of the attack emerged, and the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has been notified.
Yorkshire Ambulance Trust, part of the National Health Service, confirmed the potential breach and has informed Chapman’s family that an investigation is under way. A full inquiry is expected to take place in March, according to Sky News.
Chapman’s family said he had a history of mental illness, including a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and had been under psychiatric supervision. They said he suffered from severe mental health issues and was taking heavy medication at the time of the attack.
Before the attack, witnesses reported seeing Chapman pacing with his headphones in and dancing, and said he asked other visitors to take his photograph with the tiger in the background. He had also shared a video of himself approaching Altai on Instagram shortly before he entered the enclosure.
This is not the first time NHS staff have faced scrutiny over unauthorised access to patient records. In June, Sky News reported that dozens of staff had improperly accessed the records of a boy who was attacked by an alligator at a zoo.
