An NHS trust has apologised to the family of Noah Woods and suspended ten employees after his medical records were accessed without permission.

The three-year-old was found dead in a lake by police divers on September 16 after he disappeared in the village of Brantham, Suffolk, the day before.

Noah had escaped a play area ‘through a gap in the fence’ despite a relative’s calls to stop and sprinted more than 200 yards down a track before going missing.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust has now launched an ‘urgent’ investigation after the boy’s medical records were breached and has.

Its deputy chief medical officer Dr Martin Mansfield has apologised ‘unreservedly’ to Noah’s family and labelled the unauthorised access ‘completely unacceptable’.

He said: ‘Any unauthorised access of patient data is completely unacceptable. We understand the significant distress it can cause patients and their families. It also undermines trust in our services. Safeguarding that trust is central to the care we provide.

‘We have apologised unreservedly to Noah Woods’ family for the extra anguish this breach of trust has caused them at an already devastating time.

‘As soon as we became aware of concerns that Noah’s medical records may have been viewed inappropriately, we launched an urgent internal investigation. Immediate steps were also taken to secure the records and prevent further access that was not for a legitimate, clinical reason.

Noah Woods, three, was found in a lake on September 16 after running away from a playground the previous day. An NHS trust has apologised after his medical records were breached

The playground on Merriam Close in Brantham, from where Noah went missing last week

‘We have reported the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and we will continue to keep Noah’s family informed as our investigation progresses.

‘We take any patient data breach seriously. We investigate thoroughly, and we will take disciplinary action where needed in response to our findings, in line with the Trust’s policies and procedures.’

It comes after Sir Jim Mackey, the chief executive of NHS England, warned staff would face suspension if they were caught accessing patient records without a valid reason.

Writing to every NHS trust, he said: ‘We have seen too many cases of people abusing that trust, and enough is enough.

‘If someone is suspected of snooping, we cannot leave them in post with access to patients’ records while an investigation takes days or weeks.

‘From now on, we will expect them to be suspended and have their access to NHS systems cut off immediately, while the facts are established.’

Police said Noah was being ‘looked after by relatives’ when he visited the park that he ran away from.

Officers added that his death had not been treated as suspicious after his body was found in a lake known as Decoy Pond around ‘five metres from the bank and within submerged tree roots’.

Around 1,300 members of the public joined forces to find the youngster.

Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Connick, from Suffolk Constabulary, said: ‘This was part of a normal routine for Noah.’

He added that the toddler had visited an under-fives play area and CCTV footage in the park ‘showed Noah playing with his relative’ at 2.13pm.

The officer said Noah was last seen playing at 2.37pm, but he cautioned that the CCTV ‘is motion-activated so doesn’t provide continuous footage’.

He said the relative, who was not named at the hearing, had provided a statement to police.

Detective Chief Inspector Connick said Noah ‘left through a gap in the fence leading to the memorial garden where he left through an open gate’.

He added that the youngster then ran down a track beside a new-build housing estate and went in the direction of Decoy Pond, while ‘being closely followed by his relative who was trying to keep up with him’.

The officer continued: ‘Noah veered off the path into a first set of steps leading into the housing estate. The relative shouted at him and he moved back from the steps and carried on towards Decoy Pond.

Suffolk Police issued CCTV footage of Noah’s last movements at the playground in Brantham

The lake, known as Decoy Pond, is 250 yards from where Noah was last seen by a relative

‘He then moved to the next set of sites leading to the housing estate and the relative again shouted at him, and he carried on to Decoy Pond.’

Detective Chief Inspector Connick said Noah had disappeared from view after the track he was running on curved around towards Decoy Pond.

He added that Noah could no longer be seen by the relative when they reached the bottom of the track, around 200 yards from the play area.

The relative and a member of the public immediately began searching but found no trace of him.

Police were informed and launched a huge search for him involving Coastguards, firefighters, helicopters and dog teams as well as members of the public.

The Metropolitan Police Underwater and Confined Space Unit sent a team of divers to join the search.

Noah’s body was found by PC Rhodri Herbert in an area of submerged tree roots around 5m from Decoy Pond’s banks and about 1.8m deep.