n investigation has been launched into how confidential medical records were found in a garden in Londonderry . The Western Health Trust has confirmed that the documents contained " sensitive personal information " and said it had reported the breach to the Information Commissioner 's office . The trust said a local newspaper and a member of the public brought the matter to its attention on Tuesday . The editor of the Derry News , Ciaran O'Neill , said it involved 17 patients . " The details of 13 women and four men were on eight A4 sheets of papers , " he said . " There are a few lines on each and they go into intimate detail about their treatment , condition and their past history . " Mr O'Neill said the woman who found the documents in her garden " was shocked " . " She found it hard to believe that these could be hospital documents , " he said . " We contacted the Western trust and they confirmed that they were documents relating to local patients . " A spokesperson for the trust said they had now secured the information and had a full investigation was under way . ;