Hospital faxed patient's notes to brewery

A woman is furious her confidential patient files were faxed to a brewery.

The West Coast District Health Board (WCDHB) has admitted Grey Hospital accidentally faxed 75-year-old Joyce Sara's files to Miner's Brewery a fortnight ago.

The board says it had happened once before. But the brewery says it was the fourth time.

Mrs Sara, of Westport, said the report of her visit to a Grey Hospital doctor was meant to go to the board's Westport GP practice, Buller Medical Service.

"It's just not good enough," she told a public health meeting in Westport last night. "I'm only one. It's happened to three other people as well."

She had made a formal complaint and received an apology from the WCDHB. She also received a personal apology last night from the board's planning and funding manager, Kevin Hague.

"What can I say? I agree with you, it's not on," Mr Hague was reported as saying.

The WCDHB said it was aware of one other instance, in 2003, when patient notes were mistakenly faxed to the brewery. It had apologised to the patient concerned then, and now.

"We genuinely regret that this has happened. We take patient privacy extremely seriously," said community liaison officer Vikki Carter.

But brewery owner Alan Absalom said it was the fourth time it had happened in the past three years.

"I rang them the first time and told them I'd be handing it on to John Vaile (WCDHB member) in future, and I gave him two others because there was no action (from the board)."

Mr Vaile could not be contacted for comment.

Mrs Sara said she understood the brewery's fax number was the same as that on the board's internal fax system, but someone had mistakenly added the Westport prefix -- 03 789 -- which sent the notes to Miner's.

Ms Carter said someone had entered the number incorrectly. "It was a mistake that shouldn't have happened and we are working to ensure that it doesn't happen again."

Staff had been reminded about the importance of checking the number, and that Buller Hospital and Buller Medical numbers were pre-programmed into most of their faxes so they had no need to dial. Staff orientation now included ensuring patient privacy when faxing patient notes, Ms Carter said.

- NZPA