An investigation has been launched by the Bristol NHS Foundation Trust into the unauthorized posthumous access of the medical records of Oliver McGowan, an 18-year-old who died in 2016. Oliver, who had autism and epilepsy, died after an antipsychotic medication triggered a rare reaction, leading to severe brain swelling. An inquest into his death concluded that the medication was appropriately prescribed, but a 2020 independent review found his death could have been avoided. This review led to new legislation in 2022 requiring NHS staff to receive training on caring for patients with autism and learning disabilities, following advocacy by Oliver’s parents. Oliver’s parents, Paula and Tom McGowan, revealed that his medical records had been accessed hundreds of times by NHS staff, including on at least one occasion by a doctor earlier this year without a legitimate reason. Emails obtained by The Independent show that more than a dozen NHS workers are under investigation, including 16 who are no longer employed by the trust and four who are. A doctor who is no longer with the trust accessed Oliver’s records in March 2026 without a valid reason and reported themselves to the General Medical Council. Paula McGowan described the revelations as a "violation" of Oliver’s privacy, stating that he was "treated like dirt" and that his privacy was not respected. The NHS has faced several recent cases of staff inappropriately accessing patient records, including those of victims of the Southport and Nottingham Killings, a three-year-old who fell into a crocodile pit, and a former healthcare worker who received a caution from the Information Commissioner’s Office for trying to obtain and sell the medical records of the Princess of Wales. The Bristol NHS Foundation Trust initiated its probe after a subject access request from the McGowans revealed that 38 staff and former staff had accessed Oliver’s records over the past decade. So far, the trust’s investigation has found that a doctor who no longer works at the trust accessed Oliver’s records without a legitimate reason as recently as March this year. Four current staff members are under investigation. Of 22 staff still employed by the trust, 15 have been found to have had valid reasons for accessing the records, such as caring for Oliver or being involved in subsequent investigations. An email from Professor Steven Hams, the trust’s chief nursing and improvement officer, to the McGowans stated that three current employees remain under formal investigation because the trust has not yet established a legitimate clinical or operational reason for their access to Oliver’s records. These investigations are ongoing, and no final decisions have been made. A fourth individual is under a separate review with the Chief Medical Officer, with no determination yet on the nature of their access. In an email from Professor Hams to the McGowans in August, it was confirmed that an audit showed 653 instances of Oliver’s records being viewed or printed. Tom McGowan told The Independent that the investigation is still ongoing, but he emphasized there was no appropriate reason for accessing the information. He noted that Jim Mackey, NHS England chief executive, has stated such actions would not be tolerated. The trust has notified the Information Commissioner’s Office about the potential breaches. Professor Hams said in a statement that the trust is deeply sorry for the additional distress caused to Oliver’s parents and remains committed to transparency in its findings.