Barwon Health privacy fail
Another patient document found on street
BARWON Health has launched an investigation after documentation about patient care was again found on the street near the McKellar Centre.
It is the second time in less than a year documents relating to patients have been found near the site.
The health service conceded it was inappropriate the document was not destroyed securely.
Over the weekend a member of the public found a piece of paper, appearing to detail room numbers and information about several patients’ weights, near the main entrance to the centre.
“We are investigating this incident and will reinforce to our staff of the need to follow correct document destruction procedures,” Barwon Health’s Kate Bibby said.
BARWON Health has launched an investigation after documentation about patient care was again found on the street near the McKellar Centre.
It is the second time in less than a year that documents relating to patients have been found near the site and seen by the Addy.
The health service conceded it was inappropriate the document was not destroyed securely.
Over the weekend a member of the public found a piece of paper, appearing to detail room numbers and information about several patients’ weights, near the main entrance to the centre on Ballarat Rd.
The document relates to inpatient rehabilitation patients at the McKellar Centre site in North Geelong, and appeared to have been torn and scrawled on.
“We are investigating this incident and will reinforce to our staff of the need to follow correct document destruction procedures,” Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby said.
“This document does not contain patient identifying information. Notwithstanding this, as a working document it is inappropriate that it was not destroyed securely.
“Staff at the McKellar Centre undergo regular mandatory training in the destruction of patient information documents and any breaches are followed up in accordance with our policies.”
It comes after the Geelong Advertiser revealed in August last year that documents detailing highly sensitive information — including patients’ continence levels, mental health conditions and medications — were found near the site on Rutledge Blvd.
Those 13 patients came from Blakiston Lodge, part of the McKellar Centre site, which provides specialist dementia-specific and mental health aged care.
That incident was investigated by Barwon Health, but the health service was in September tight-lipped on the findings of the probe when questioned by the Addy.
Patients were named in the records found on the street last year, but names were not included in the document located on the weekend.
The McKellar Centre site offers services including rehabilitation and residential aged care.
State Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said patients had a right to know how their health information was left on the street.