Page 364 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 1991
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Medical Records
MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to Mr Humphries, as Minister for Health. Mr Humphries, I refer to the private and confidential patients' records that were found at the tip. This was reported in the Canberra Times on Sunday, 10 February, with your reply on 12 February. In your reply you claimed that you understood that no confidential records had been sighted by any member of the public at the tip. Firstly, how can you make such a broad-ranging statement; secondly, what action have you taken to ensure that no private or confidential records of any type from your department are mishandled in this way; and, thirdly, have you found the person responsible for this, and what action have you taken with reference to that particular person?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, Mr Moore is more into witch-hunts than I had imagined he would be. But, if I might, Mr Speaker, I will answer the question by relating the circumstances of that incident. I understand that on 9 February, last Saturday week, a routine clear-out of records was undertaken by pharmacy storemen at Royal Canberra Hospital South. All records were correctly sealed in cartons and marked, "Mitchell: For incineration". They were dispatched to the hospital's loading dock for transport to the Health Services Supply Centre at Mitchell for incineration.
However, the cartons were inadvertently transported by the hospital's private cleaning contractors to the Mugga Lane tip instead of to the incinerator. In this instance, hospital pharmacy staff followed the standard procedure for the disposal of these confidential records. Mr Speaker, all staff concerned in this incident have been counselled on the appropriate methods for disposal of such confidential, classified material. In addition, management will widely circulate a notice on the approved methods for the disposal of confidential, classified materials.
Mr Speaker, I believe that I indicated last week, when answering a question from someone - Mr Moore, perhaps - that nobody had had the chance to peruse or study the records of other people. Certainly, obviously, someone must have looked at the records and examined them to see what they were. Obviously, therefore, somebody's records must have been looked at. However, Mr Speaker, I am satisfied that that was on the basis of establishing only what the documents were; and that, as quickly as possible after that incident, the documents concerned were made illegible by being buried.
Mr Speaker, I can indicate that in my view this incident will not recur. A satisfactory level of response has occurred within the hospital system to ensure that it will not be repeated. I can only assure Mr Moore that it is not my desire to engage in a witch-hunt of people who might
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