A doctor’s receptionist, Arman Vyas, 23, has admitted to unlawfully sharing patients’ medical records in a bid to impress his friends. Vyas was employed by two GP practices in the north of Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire. The receptionist accessed confidential patient reports, took screenshots, and shared them with others, including on social media platform Snapchat. In a disturbing incident, Vyas even exhibited a patient’s medical records at a bar, causing distress to the individual. Vyas pleaded guilty to behaving abusively at Glasgow Sheriff Court, where Sheriff Louise Arrol KC remarked that the case was close to deserving a custodial sentence.
During his time at the Glasgow practice, Vyas accessed the records of 7,500 patients without authorization. He took pictures of sensitive entries and shared them with third parties. One victim was contacted on Instagram with an image of her medical records overlaid with a comment from Vyas, causing further distress. An audit at the medical practice revealed Vyas had accessed multiple other patients’ files without legitimate reasons.
Vyas, who studied at Stirling University, was sentenced to 20 weeks of tagging from 9 pm to 7 am, two years of supervision, and a three-year non-harassment order preventing contact with victims. It was found that he had also accessed highly personal records at the East Dunbartonshire practice, demonstrating a pattern of invasive behavior. Despite admitting to the actions, Vyas claimed he was influenced by others and didn’t fully grasp the gravity or legality of his actions.
Sheriff Arrol expressed serious concern over Vyas’s breach of trust and misuse of highly confidential information, emphasizing that his intelligence and background offered no excuse for his actions. Vyas’s actions not only violated patients’ privacy but also caused significant distress and embarrassment to those affected. The court’s decision highlighted the severity of breaching patient confidentiality and the need for stringent consequences for such actions to safeguard sensitive medical information.