A former NHS employee has been fined after breaching data protection laws by repeatedly accessing a patient’s medical records without a valid legal reason.

Nicola Wren was employed by the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust as an administrator.

The 42-year-old appeared before magistrates where she pleaded guilty to breaching section 55 of the Data Protection Act 1998.

The court heard she was one of a team of staff employed by the NHS on a temporary basis.

The Rainham resident snooped on the records of one patient 279 times over a three-week period.

Sometimes she did this up to 50 times a day.

Bosses at the trust say the moment concern was raised, her employment was stopped.

No previous concerns had been raised about her work prior to this incident.

Wren, of Lonsdale Drive, knew the patient but had no valid lawful reason to access the records.

She did this without her employer’s consent between October and November 2015.

Magistrates fined her £300 and ordered she pay £364.08 costs.

The prosecution, led by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has led bosses to issue a warning to other NHS employees thinking of accessing patient records without a valid reason.

Mike Shaw, ICO criminal enforcement group manage, said: “Employees, who in many cases are very experienced and capable, are getting into serious trouble and often losing their jobs, usually over little more than personal curiosity.”

A trust spokesman said: “Patient safety in any form is a priority and this includes unauthorised access to medical records.

“Our patients have the right to know their information is treated with privacy and respect.

“We are pleased the ICO has taken action.

“The trust’s information governance team work closely with colleagues to ensure all staff are fully aware of the appropriate access to patients records and the consequences of breaching those laws.

“We hope this will go towards helping prevent anyone thinking this is acceptable behaviour.”