Candidates’ details were freely available in MTAS security breach
26 Apr, 07 | by BMJ Group
Personal details of applicants involved in the already discredited MTAS system were available for all to see yesterday — until the Department of Health stepped in and closed the loophole which had allowed anyone to view the page without the need for a password.
Channel 4 News ran with the story yesterday, after discovering that the URL of the page containing all this information was not password protected.
Although this address should only have been known to those who were authorised to access the site — primarily those interviewing candidates — the URL was leaked. This made it possible for anyone who had been given that address to go straight to the page, bypassing the initial home page.
As soon as the Department of Health became aware of the security breach, early yesterday evening, they put a password on the page. But in the meantime confidential information about junior doctors — including their religion and sexual orientation — could have been viewed by anyone who knew the URL.
Dr Jo Hilborne, chairman of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, said it was a breach of security “on an appalling scale”.
“What little faith anyone had left in this shambolic system has just evaporated,” she said. “The ease with which anyone could have accessed highly sensitive information about thousands of people is frankly shocking. The BMA has raised concerns about the security of the MTAS website on more than one occasion. The Department of Health had months to put it right and failed. There can be no excuse for this.
Luckily, I am GP Reg and have not had the misfortune of all this fiasco. I feel extremmely saddened at what is happeining and all the sleepness nights my collegues have had and all the nerves they have gone through. Is this Medicine? We are supposed to be free of worries so as to be elated and dedicate ourselves to the well being of our patients, how can someone flourish and create in such an atmosphere. OUR profession is stresssful enough and we do not need these additional demoralising hurdles.
P. Naydenova
April 26th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
It is absolutely vital the Department of Health & the Ministers concerned take heed of the serious advice given by the BMA!
This so called On Line application system has become an absolute DISASTER….In the event any of our fellow colleagues’ confidential data had become public and if they unfortunately become a victim of IDENTITY THEFT: the Dept of Health needs to be held fully responsible and it is important legal proceedings (in line with Data Protection Act) are taken against the DOH & the ministers who are directly responsible.
Most senior doctors in the country feel it is time the government stops intervening on issues of Medical training and Patient care as the ministers have 1. NO Clinical knowledge, 2. NO Clue of what the immediate public health issues and needs, 3. NO knowledge of the high quality of health care provided within the hospital setting (Hence their continous attempts to close down existing & well managed hospitals) 4. NO awareness of the number of Junior doctors who have left the country to practice medicine abroad for good ( considering it costs taxpayers more than £200 000 to train just 1 doctor - we do not want to lose our well trained colleagues to other health care systems around the world!!!)
Nick Ophthalmologist
April 28th, 2007 at 5:55 am