New controls on computerised data storage have been introduced at a Scottish health authority after equipment containing patients' sensitive details were lost.

Two computer memory sticks were reported as lost or stolen earlier this year by staff at NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

New guidelines are now being implemented concerning the use of USB storage devices, and all information on the sticks must be encrypted or password protected to make it impossible for others to use the data.

Officials said no patients could have been identified from the information stored on the memory sticks, but admitted the incident illustrated the need for stricter procedures.

The new controls will also apply to laptop and desktop computers in areas where non-NHS employees could gain access.

A spokesman for NHS Dumfries and Galloway said: "The important thing to recognise is that this was non-identifiable data on these USB memory sticks.

"The board, however, has recognised that there needs to be some controls put in place so we have introduced a rigorous programme of controls for computer memory sticks."

"That means no unauthorised person will have any access to such information.

"If by any chance they fell into the wrong hands they wouldn't be able to access the information and it would be completely useless to them. We believe this is a very strong and robust process to protect patients' interests at every level."

The incident is the latest example of authorities losing sensitive computerised information of sensitive material.

Last month NHS Lothian lost a USB memory stick containing files relating to 137 patients. The stick contained un-encrypted details of letters, memos and medical history of the patients in letters to GPs in the Edinburgh area.

An employee was suspended over the NHS Lothian loss.

Last year HM Revenue and Customs lost discs containing details of 25 million people, in the postal system.

Meanwhile, an English council is today investigating a report that a computer containing the personal details of thousands of its taxpayers was discovered on eBay.

Names and addresses, bank account numbers and sort codes of people in the Charnwood Borough Council area were reportedly found after the equipment was sold on the auction website for £6.99.

A spokeswoman for the Leicestershire authority said: "We can confirm that we are urgently investigating this report."

It is claimed other personal details, including conversations about householders' divorces and family bereavements, were also on the computer's hard drive.

The apparent security breach emerged a day after it was revealed that a computer storing information on up to a million bank customers was sold on eBay for £35.

Commenting on the latest revelation, the unnamed Scottish computer expert who bought the computer told a newspaper: "I can see from these documents who is having financial problems, and who is getting bailiffs sent round to their house.

"There is even information about a death on there. I was stunned to find 35,000 items - documents, photos, memos."

Earlier this week it was revealed that a computer was bought on eBay with personal information relating to bank customers still on its hard drive.

The computer was reportedly sold by an employee of data processing company Mail Source which is part of Graphic Data, a company that holds financial information for organisations.

Information including bank account numbers, phone numbers, mothers' maiden names and signatures of customers of American Express, NatWest and the Royal Bank of Scotland were reportedly found on the computer.