The Department of Health has said disciplinary action could follow after it was confirmed there has been over 40 incidents of “inappropriate access to patient information” in Northern Ireland’s new £400m digital healthcare records system. The Encompass system promised streamlined access to patient records for medical professionals, reducing paperwork for both patients and staff and saving time and money within the health service. Its rollout began in late 2023 after seven years of planning, and was completed across all health trust areas in the north by May of last year. Encompass has safety features including the ability to generate reports on any inappropriate access to patient data. “Considerable effort has been made to protect information and ensure those using the encompass system access only the information they require to do their work,” the spokesperson added.