Hospital action over Fawcett leak

Fawcett starred in one series of Charlie's Angels

An employee at a Los Angeles hospital has been disciplined after details of actress Farrah Fawcett's cancer treatment were leaked to tabloids.

Her lawyer, Kim Swartz, said the National Enquirer had published details about the actress' cancer coming back before she had told family and friends.

The UCLA Medical Center confirmed that an employee had been disciplined for accessing records without permission.

A spokeswoman would not confirm reports that the employee was fired.

It's disturbing to her when there are false reports that she's given up and wants to die, when the opposite is true Lawyer Kim Swartz

Last February, Fawcett, 61, announced that she had made a complete recovery from cancer but it returned a few months later.

The UCLA spokeswoman said the former Charlie's Angels star had expressed concern last May to a doctor that her condition had been leaked to the tabloids.

The doctor had then reported it to hospital executives, she added.

Her lawyer said: "It's disturbing to her when there are false reports that she's given up and wants to die, when the opposite is true.

"She's a strong person and a fighter."

Farrah has learned the hard way that, with cancer, the test is time Film producer Craig J Nevius

TV producer Craig J Nevius, who is making a documentary about Fawcett and her illness, told the Los Angeles Times the actress was "cautiously optimistic" about beating cancer.

"Farrah has learned the hard way that, with cancer, the test is time," he said.

"At the moment, she has no detectable cancer."

Last month, UCLA said 13 staff would be fired and others disciplined for reading Britney Spears' medical records when she was admitted to the hospital in January.

Spears was taken to UCLA by ambulance in the early hours of 31 January, and was reportedly held on a psychiatric ward.