SA Health staff suspended over medical records breach
Ten staff have been suspended by South Australia's Health Department, which has apologised over the inappropriate accessing of the records of a patient, believed to be the son of Police Commissioner Grant Stevens.
As a result of an audit, 18 staff were under investigation for potential inappropriate access of a Southern Adelaide Local Health Network patient's record.
Health Department deputy chief executive Judith Formston said on Thursday, that ten of the staff have been suspended pending the outcome of investigations.
Charlie Stevens suffered an irreversible brain injury after a hit-and-run crash at Goolwa Beach, on South Australia's south coast, during schoolies celebrations last November. He died in hospital the following day.
"The patient's family is being kept informed of the ongoing investigations," Ms Formston said.
"Our sincerest apologies go to the family for distress caused."
SA Health had "kept the Stevens family apprised of its investigation", but the family had no further comment on the matter, an SA Police spokesperson confirmed.
Protecting patients and their private clinical information was a matter that SA Health took extremely seriously, Ms Formston said.
"We have robust policies and processes in place to ensure that staff are accessing appropriate information and conduct audits to ensure our polices are complied with," she said.
"Any staff member who has accessed information inappropriately will be subject to disciplinary processes, which may include termination of their employment."
Last month, Dhirren Singh Randhawa, 18, pleaded guilty to an aggravated count of driving without due care and leaving the scene of a crash after causing death, over the hit-run crash.
He returns to court in August for for arraignment and sentencing.
