There has always been some level of concern and criticism that when NHS bodies are fined, the fines will reduce the funds available for patient care. An article on Out-Law.com addresses this controversy: The UK’s data protection watchdog has defended its civil monetary penalty regime after it was criticised for the amounts of fines levied…
Category: Health Data
NL: Groene Hart Ziekenhuis (Green Heart Hospital) leaking medical records
I hate relying on Google Translate, but this article seems to detail a very serious web leak involving a hospital in the Netherlands, Groene Hart Ziekenhuis. It seems the hospital used an outside provider who didn’t adequately secure the data and an ethical hacker was able to access patient records via FTP. Patient records going back to…
California Adds Affirmative Defense to Medical Privacy Law
Michael Epshteyn writes: A new law that amends the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) may provide some relief to HIPAA covered entities and business associates, some of whom have faced class action lawsuits seeking millions in statutory damages under the CMIA for large-scale data breaches. Because the CMIA—unlike HIPAA—creates a private right of…
ZA: Cancer patients at risk as thieves steal computers with their medical records (updated)
Lives of thousands of cancer patients are at risk following the looting of computers that store vital data for them at the Cancer Diseases Hospital, a heist that has shocked medical personnel. The specialised hospital is located within the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) premises in Lusaka. Medical personnel have described the theft as a ‘death…
NZ: Eel x-ray leak breached privacy
Curiosity is normal. Resisting the impulse to share an unusual case seems to exceed some professionals’ self-control, despite ethical prohibitions. Fairfax NZ News reports: Auckland City Hospital staff are under the microscope after a patient’s privacy was breached when x-rays of an eel stuck up his bottom circulated the wards. Auckland District Health Board (ADHB)…
UK: NHS trust sent confidential information to private firm
The Mirror reports that 3,700 patients identified as at risk of coronary heart disease had their confidential details sent to Enhanced Care Services by NHS Bournemouth and Poole without the trust ever getting consent or even notifying the patients. The paper also reports that the Information Commissioner’s Office found the trust had breached the Data Protection Act. Read about…