Australian medical information found in abandoned amusement park
Technorati Tag: Security Breach
Date Reported:
6/27/08
Organization:
New South Wales Government (AU)
Contractor/Consultant/Branch:
Sydney West Area Health Service
Unnamed "bankrupt contractor"
Victims:
Patients
Number Affected:
Unknown
Types of Data:
"confidential medical records"
Breach Description:
"The Sydney West Area Health Service has been embarrassed by the discovery of medical records in an abandoned amusement park."
Reference URL:
ABC News
Macquarie National News
Macquarie National News (2)
Report Credit:
ABC NEws
Response:
From the online sources cited above:
The Sydney West Area Health Service has been embarrassed by the discovery of medical records in an abandoned amusement park.
[Evan] This is a first. An abandoned amusement park? I would be embarrassed too!
Pathology results and slides were found when a container dumped in the former Magic Kingdom park at Lansvale was set alight this week.
The container was discovered after it caught on fire yesterday, attracting the attention of the local fire department.
A bankrupt contractor is being blamed for dumping confidential medical records and contaminated waste in the grounds of an abandoned fun park.
[Evan] Confidential medical records AND contaminated waste? Ugh.
Police said it was likely the container had been there for a decade.
[Evan] A decade? This story keeps getting more bizarre.
The Health Department is reviewing waste disposal procedures following the discovery at Lansvale in Sydney's south west.
[Evan] I presume that the waste disposal procedures have probably changed over the past ten years. The Health Department should be reviewing procedures on a regular basis anyway.
The health service's chief executive, Professor Steven Boyages, says it is a serious breach and the health service is reviewing its waste disposal procedures.
"There are clear policy and procedures in place to manage records and disposal of records and clear policies in place to manage and dispose of any clinical waste," he said.
"It appears at first glance that the policy and procedures weren't followed by the contractors who were engaged to do this."
“It is a huge concern, I’ve called for an immediate review to ensure our existing contractors are following standard policy and procedures so this doesn't happen again," he said
Shadow health minister Jillian Skinner said the state government also has some explaining to do.
"Why if it was know this company had gone bankrupt and wasn't carrying out its duties they didn't check to make sure this material was disposed of properly?" Ms Skinner said.
Commentary:
The landscape of information security and personal information issues has changed markedly over the past ten years. SWAHS should still be held accountable, but how much can you comment on something that happened ten years ago and probably does not reflect upon current practice.
This is one of the most bizarre breaches I have read about in some time.
Past Breaches:
Unknown
Date Reported:6/27/08
Organization:
New South Wales Government (AU)
Contractor/Consultant/Branch:
Sydney West Area Health Service
Unnamed "bankrupt contractor"
Victims:
Patients
Number Affected:
Unknown
Types of Data:
"confidential medical records"
Breach Description:
"The Sydney West Area Health Service has been embarrassed by the discovery of medical records in an abandoned amusement park."
Reference URL:
ABC News
Macquarie National News
Macquarie National News (2)
Report Credit:
ABC NEws
Response:
From the online sources cited above:
The Sydney West Area Health Service has been embarrassed by the discovery of medical records in an abandoned amusement park.
[Evan] This is a first. An abandoned amusement park? I would be embarrassed too!
Pathology results and slides were found when a container dumped in the former Magic Kingdom park at Lansvale was set alight this week.
The container was discovered after it caught on fire yesterday, attracting the attention of the local fire department.
A bankrupt contractor is being blamed for dumping confidential medical records and contaminated waste in the grounds of an abandoned fun park.
[Evan] Confidential medical records AND contaminated waste? Ugh.
Police said it was likely the container had been there for a decade.
[Evan] A decade? This story keeps getting more bizarre.
The Health Department is reviewing waste disposal procedures following the discovery at Lansvale in Sydney's south west.
[Evan] I presume that the waste disposal procedures have probably changed over the past ten years. The Health Department should be reviewing procedures on a regular basis anyway.
The health service's chief executive, Professor Steven Boyages, says it is a serious breach and the health service is reviewing its waste disposal procedures.
"There are clear policy and procedures in place to manage records and disposal of records and clear policies in place to manage and dispose of any clinical waste," he said.
"It appears at first glance that the policy and procedures weren't followed by the contractors who were engaged to do this."
“It is a huge concern, I’ve called for an immediate review to ensure our existing contractors are following standard policy and procedures so this doesn't happen again," he said
Shadow health minister Jillian Skinner said the state government also has some explaining to do.
"Why if it was know this company had gone bankrupt and wasn't carrying out its duties they didn't check to make sure this material was disposed of properly?" Ms Skinner said.
Commentary:
The landscape of information security and personal information issues has changed markedly over the past ten years. SWAHS should still be held accountable, but how much can you comment on something that happened ten years ago and probably does not reflect upon current practice.
This is one of the most bizarre breaches I have read about in some time.
Past Breaches:
Unknown
Posted by Evan Francen at 6/28/2008 1:04 PM 
Categories: Sydney West Area Health Service, Insecure Discard, New South Wales Government
Categories: Sydney West Area Health Service, Insecure Discard, New South Wales Government
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