BRITNEY SPEARS - LA HOSPITAL FIRES 13 STAFF FOR PEEKING AT BRITNEY'S RECORDS

A LA hospital has launched an investigation into 25 employees who looked at Britney Spears's medical records during her stay in the psychiatric ward.

According to the Los Angeles Times, UCLA Medical Center is in the process of firing 13 staff, has suspended six more and is considering discipline against another six doctors who sneaked a look at the star's confidential records.

The Toxic singer stayed at the hospital from January 31st to February 6th after police were called to her house.

The paper quoted the hospital's human resources director Jeri Simpson, who said this was not the first time firings had followed a Britney stay - a similar situation arose in 2005, when Britney gave birth to her first child, Sean Preston.

"I feel like we do everything that we possibly can to ensure the privacy of our patients, and I know we feel horrible that it happened again," Ms Simpson said.

"I don't know what it is about this particular person."

UCLA confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that officials had sent out a memo on the morning Britney was hospitalised warning staff not to look.

The troubled star has recently returned to work and is currently filming a cameo role on US sitcom How I Met Your Mother.