Shropshire patients are being warned that if they complain about health services, confidential medical information about them could be released without their consent.

Patient Bert Meredith, 81, claims that his medical details were sent to his MP after he complained about the length of time that he had been waiting for a follow-up appointment at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.

Today the hospital trust admitted that there were some occasions when details of a patient’s care, treatment and medical history might be released to an MP.

Mr Meredith, of Allscott, Telford, said he saw a heart specialist at the hospital and was told he would have a follow-up appointment every three months.

But after nearly 10 months he had not heard anything, and so wrote a letter of complaint to Tom Taylor, chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust.

He informed Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard of the action he was taking.

Mr Meredith said the chief executive also copied a reply to Mr Pritchard which contained medical information.

“This was released without my consent,” he said.

“People need to be aware that details about them could be released to a third party.

“What effect could this have on their job, or their insurance? That is worrying.”

Trust spokesman Adrian Osborne today said: “When a patient has concerns about the care and treatment they have received from the NHS, they will sometimes write to their MP.

“In their letter they will typically share aspects of their care, treatment and medical history.

“If their MP then raises the concerns with the NHS on their behalf, we aim to look into the issues they have raised and respond both to the patient and to the MP.

“Our response will focus on the issues about their care, treatment and medical history that they themselves have already shared with their MP.

“It is important to note that this will only happen when a patient has specifically raised their concerns with their MP, who in turn has raised them with the NHS on the patient’s behalf.”

Mr Osborne said the Data Protection Order 2002 enabled MPs to pursue concerns on behalf of their constituents, and for public bodies to respond to these concerns.