A serious breach in the privacy of ACT patient health records has been revealed in an email from the Canberra Health Services CEO David Peffer.

The email sent to staff stated that patient records had been “deliberately sent” to multiple people outside of the organisation without consent.

“In recent weeks we’ve discovered a serious breach in the privacy of patient health records within one of our teams, extending back some time,” Mr Peffer’s email stated.

“Records have been sent by a small number of team members to multiple team members to multiple people within one of our industrial partners. Records that should never have been shared outside the organisation, without the express consent of our patients.”

The email went on to say that the documents were “whole clinical records, in some cases scanned from hard copy and deliberately emailed to individuals outside the organisation”.

It has been reported that 13 patients had been affected over the years, while the breach has been referred to ACT Policing and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Shadow Minister for Health Leanne Castley said the email is of great concern and the Minister, Rachel Stephen-Smith, must come out and answer questions about the significant privacy breach of patients.

“This is a very serious matter, and I am stunned the Minister has not made Canberrans aware of this issue,” Ms Castley said.

“If the breach is serious enough for the CEO to inform employees within CHS, then Canberrans, many of whom would have their information held by the hospital, deserve to be made aware as well.”

The email goes on to explain that “breaches like these don’t just have implications for the ongoing employment of those involved, it’s unlawful conduct that carries heavy criminal penalties”.

“Patients want to have confidence that their data is managed in a safe and responsible way, and they have the right to be notified after a discovery that there have been data compromises,” Ms Castley said.

“This Labor-Greens government is lurching from one crisis to another at the moment and with our health system at breaking point. Canberrans deserve better,” Ms Castley said.