http://www.privacy.org.au

Secretary@privacy.org.au

http://www.privacy.org.au/About/Contacts.html	

2 March 2009

The Editor
The Australian

Dear Sir / Madam

Re:   Unique Patient ID or Patient Health?

Dear Editor,

The federal government says it intends to introduce 'trials' of unique identifier numbers by the end of the year according to the National E-Health Transition Authority. The numbers are to facilitate the introduction of a unified, national e-health system in due course.

But, before the identifiers can be used, health privacy legal frameworks need to be altered, the technology tested for functionality, and information security designs devised and implemented.

This is far from easy to do. In the UK, the NHS implemented a similar system a few years ago and is still struggling with a range of technical, privacy and security issues.

Surely patient care is of a higher priority than the delivery of unique identifiers numbers? Australians are not guinea pigs! The government must get the e-health system right before committing more of our budget to e-health schemes.

Regards

Dr. Juanita Fernando
Chair
Health Sub-Committee
Australian Privacy Foundation
http://www.privacy.org.au/