A doctor’s receptionist shared patients’ medical records to ‘impress his friends’. Arman Vyas, 23, was employed by two GP practices in the north of Glasgow and in East Dunbartonshire.
Vyas accessed confidential reports and took screenshots which he sent to others including on social media app Snapchat. Vyas also showed one of his victim’s medical records at a bar which made her “distressed.”
His lawyer claimed that Vyas did not think what he did was illegal and he was “encouraged by others” to commit the crime. Vyas pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Sheriff Louise Arrol KC stated the case was “as close as a first offender can be to a custodial sentence.” The Stirling University student was tagged for 20 weeks keeping him indoors between 9pm and 7am.
He was also put under supervision for two years. A three-year non-harassment order was granted which prohibits Vyas from contacting his victims.
The court heard that Vyas was employed at the Glasgow practice between October 2021 and May 2022.
He had access to the practice’s 7,500 patients on their computer system. Vyas accessed the records for one of his victims and scrolled to 2018 for an entry on an issue which was “intimate in nature.”
Prosecutor Redmond Harris said: “He took a picture on his phone and used Snapchat to send the image to another person. This was not reported on while he was employed by the health centre.”
Another person contacted the victim on Instagram in April 2023 with the image of her medical records. Vyas had written over the top of the image making a comment on the victim.
The matter was reported to the police and an audit was carried out by the medical practice. Mr Harris said: “It showed that Vyas had accessed several other patients’ files without reason or authority.”
Vyas meantime was also employed by the East Dunbartonshire practice between November 2022 and January 2023 which contained 7,800 patients. He accessed the records of a second person and a diagnosis which was also highly personal. Vyas took a picture of the file and sent it to the same recipient from the earlier matter.
He also attended Tingle bar in Glasgow and shared the medical records of the victim. Police investigated the matter which caused “distress” to the victim.
A further person claimed that Vyas was “bragging” that he had access to the medical records which made her anxious that her files had also been accessed. Mr Harris added: “The person stated that Vyas’ actions had ruined her at the time and felt devastated and embarrassed.”
An audit at the practice found that Vyas had also accessed the records of a doctor and his daughter.
Vyas, of Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, handed himself into police and made full admissions when quizzed.
Megan McAllister, defending, told the court: “He said he did not receive training about data protection but signed contracts.
“He said he was asked and encouraged by others but accepts full responsibility that it was him that accessed the records which he disclosed to third parties. He said he was young and immature, trying to impress his friends and didn’t quite understand the seriousness or that it was illegal.”
Sentencing, Sheriff Arrol said: ”You were placed in a breach of trust with the most private personal information. I do not accept that someone with your intellect didn’t know the importance of this information.
“You took it upon yourself to get this information about people and use it for other purposes which I do not understand – immaturity is not an explanation. You come from a pro-social family who are not in the criminal justice system and you are at university which makes it more bizarre and highly vindictive. I find it deeply concerning that I can find no motivation other than mindless on your part.
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