Private records of some Canberra Health Services patients 'deliberately' sent to industrial partner - ABC News
Private records of some Canberra Health Services patients 'deliberately' sent to industrial partner
ABC Radio Canberra / By Niki Burnside
Posted Mon 20 Mar 2023 at 10:55pmMonday 20 Mar 2023 at 10:55pm, updated Tue 21 Mar 2023 at 4:08amTuesday 21 Mar 2023 at 4:08am
The entrance to a hospitals emergency room.
Canberra Health Services chief executive Dave Peffer says patients had been "let down" by the data breach.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
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Some Canberra Health Services (CHS) patients' records have been emailed to people outside of the organisation, in what has been described as a "serious breach of privacy".
Key points:
The records of 13 Canberra Health Services patients were sent to an industrial partner over a period of years
A police investigation into the breach has been launched
The Canberra Liberals are calling for more information about how the breach happened
In an all-staff email, CHS chief executive Dave Peffer said the records had been sent by a small number of staff to multiple people within of one its industrial partners.
He said whole mental health clinical records of 13 patients had been "deliberately" emailed to individuals outside the organisation over a period of years.
"In recent weeks we've discovered a serious breach in the privacy of patients health records within one of our teams, extending back some time," he said in the email.
"Records that should never have been shared outside the organisation, without the express consent of our patients.
"Trust was on the line and we've let these patients down."
He said the breach was not accidental.
"Often our patients are at their most vulnerable when in our care," he said.
"The confidence our patients have to share their most private information with us, helps us to treat and care for them. All of that relies on trust."
He said CHS would have some "rebuilding to do" following the disclosure.
ACT disability minister Emma Davidson
ACT Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson would not disclose the identity of the industrial partner.(ABC News: Harry Frost)
ACT Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson said the revelation was "distressing".
"But we do have policies and procedures about what to do when a breach like this happens, and it has been referred to the police who are conducting an investigation," she said.
"We're talking about a relatively small number of people involved.
"The vast majority of staff doing all the right things in terms of making sure that they are following all the correct procedures."
She said she could not reveal whether the staff members involved were still working within Canberra Health Services because the matter was now subject to a police investigation.
On ABC Radio Canberra, Ms Davidson was asked what Mr Peffer meant by an "industry partner".
"It was not a health fund," she said.
"That is actually the subject of a police investigation, but I know that CHS have done everything they can to make sure that we're protecting patient privacy and that this can't continue to happen."
Opposition demands explanation
A woman in a blue suit stands outside Canberra Hospital.
Leanne Castley said Canberra Health Services needed to explain how the breach occurred.(ABC News: Harry Frost)
In learning of the breach, the Canberra Liberals' spokeswoman for health Leanne Castley said patients deserved better.
"They're vulnerable. They're giving over their data, their details, their very private, personal information," she said.
"There are very big problems within CHS."
Ms Castley said the opposition would be asking questions of ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith later today.
"To explain what's going on, and how she can ensure Canberrans that they can actually have confidence in their data being safely stored with Canberra Health Services."
The breach has been referred to the police and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
ABC Radio Canberra / By Niki Burnside
Posted Mon 20 Mar 2023 at 10:55pmMonday 20 Mar 2023 at 10:55pm, updated Tue 21 Mar 2023 at 4:08amTuesday 21 Mar 2023 at 4:08am
The entrance to a hospitals emergency room.
Canberra Health Services chief executive Dave Peffer says patients had been "let down" by the data breach.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article
Link copied
COPY LINK
SHARE
Some Canberra Health Services (CHS) patients' records have been emailed to people outside of the organisation, in what has been described as a "serious breach of privacy".
Key points:
The records of 13 Canberra Health Services patients were sent to an industrial partner over a period of years
A police investigation into the breach has been launched
The Canberra Liberals are calling for more information about how the breach happened
In an all-staff email, CHS chief executive Dave Peffer said the records had been sent by a small number of staff to multiple people within of one its industrial partners.
He said whole mental health clinical records of 13 patients had been "deliberately" emailed to individuals outside the organisation over a period of years.
"In recent weeks we've discovered a serious breach in the privacy of patients health records within one of our teams, extending back some time," he said in the email.
"Records that should never have been shared outside the organisation, without the express consent of our patients.
"Trust was on the line and we've let these patients down."
He said the breach was not accidental.
"Often our patients are at their most vulnerable when in our care," he said.
"The confidence our patients have to share their most private information with us, helps us to treat and care for them. All of that relies on trust."
He said CHS would have some "rebuilding to do" following the disclosure.
ACT disability minister Emma Davidson
ACT Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson would not disclose the identity of the industrial partner.(ABC News: Harry Frost)
ACT Mental Health Minister Emma Davidson said the revelation was "distressing".
"But we do have policies and procedures about what to do when a breach like this happens, and it has been referred to the police who are conducting an investigation," she said.
"We're talking about a relatively small number of people involved.
"The vast majority of staff doing all the right things in terms of making sure that they are following all the correct procedures."
She said she could not reveal whether the staff members involved were still working within Canberra Health Services because the matter was now subject to a police investigation.
On ABC Radio Canberra, Ms Davidson was asked what Mr Peffer meant by an "industry partner".
"It was not a health fund," she said.
"That is actually the subject of a police investigation, but I know that CHS have done everything they can to make sure that we're protecting patient privacy and that this can't continue to happen."
Opposition demands explanation
A woman in a blue suit stands outside Canberra Hospital.
Leanne Castley said Canberra Health Services needed to explain how the breach occurred.(ABC News: Harry Frost)
In learning of the breach, the Canberra Liberals' spokeswoman for health Leanne Castley said patients deserved better.
"They're vulnerable. They're giving over their data, their details, their very private, personal information," she said.
"There are very big problems within CHS."
Ms Castley said the opposition would be asking questions of ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith later today.
"To explain what's going on, and how she can ensure Canberrans that they can actually have confidence in their data being safely stored with Canberra Health Services."
The breach has been referred to the police and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
