Sir Alex Ferguson: Probe after medical records reportedly accessed Published duration 2 December 2018

image copyright BBC Sport image caption Sir Alex Ferguson thanked medical staff following his treatment in May

Staff at a Greater Manchester hospital are being investigated over reports they accessed Sir Alex Ferguson's medical records while he was there.

The former Manchester United manager had an emergency operation at the Salford Royal Hospital in May after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Several staff are under investigation "in relation to an information governance breach", the hospital said.

"We have apologised unreservedly to the patient and their family," it added.

Sir Alex, 76, was admitted to the Salford Royal on 5 May and was in intensive care prior to his discharge in June.

"Without those people who gave me such great care, I would not be here today," he said.

image caption Salford Royal Hospital is investigating an alleged "information governance breach"

A spokeswoman for the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust declined to confirm the identity of the patient involved but said an "HR process" was under way.

The trust had also "reported the alleged breaches to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)", she said.

Dr Chris Brookes, chief medical officer for the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, which runs Salford Royal, said: "We can confirm that a number of staff who work at Salford Royal are currently subject to investigation in relation to an information governance breach.

"All of our patients have the right to expect that their information will be looked after securely and accessed appropriately.

"We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously ... and will take the appropriate action to ensure staff understand the seriousness of unauthorised access," Dr Brookes said.

Since then four NHS staff have been prosecuted or fined in relation to accessing patients' medical information without authorisation, according to the ICO.