A claims company employee has been fined after using his former girlfriend to obtain patients’ confidential records.

Martin Campbell (pictured) was supplied with the personal data of 29 people by his then partner Dawn Makin, who worked as a nurse at walk-in health centres in Bury.

Makin passed Campbell information about all patients who had suffered injury as a result of an accident.

Campbell then used the records to generate leads for his former employer, Bury-based personal injury company Direct Assist.

The practice was only uncovered after four months, when patients started to complain to Bury Primary Care Trust that they had been contacted by a man encouraging them to make a claim.

An investigation found Makin had accessed the material with no legitimate reason for doing so, and the case was reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

At a magistrates’ court hearing last week, Campbell pleaded guilty to offences of illegally obtaining NHS patients’ information and was fined £1,050, with a further £1,160 to be paid in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, information commissioner Christopher Graham said the claims company worker’s case must serve as a warning to others tempted to exploit patient files to make claims.

‘Martin Campbell would have known that obtaining the information was unlawful and yet he put his greed ahead of people’s privacy rights,’ said the commissioner.

‘Today’s prosecution should help to serve as a deterrent to those who attempt to illegally obtain and pass on people’s information.’

Campbell was prosecuted under section 55 of the Data Protection Act.

The ICO’s case against Makin was not pursued as it was not considered to be in the public interest. Makin attempted suicide in February and was found unconscious next to the body of her four-year-old daughter, who had been stabbed to death.

NHS Bury has sent 189 letters to patients warning them that their records may have been leaked, and has apologised to those affected.

Direct Assist could not be reached for a comment.