Measures to Prevent Patients' Personal and Financial Data Breach in Healthcare Institutions

29 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Health in view of the recent incident where a former nurse was charged with stealing patients' bank card details for unauthorised transactions (a) what are the measures in place to protect patients' personal and financial data within healthcare institutions; and (b) what additional steps are being taken to enhance data security protocols and ensure strict compliance to prevent such incidents in the future.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: In this incident, the former nurse allegedly obtained banking details of patients under his care through unauthorised access to their phones and, thereafter, committed various offences by using the information obtained. He was dismissed after he was discovered and recently charged in court. To date, there has been no evidence of breach in the hospital's IT systems.

Our public healthcare institutions (PHIs) take a serious view of the security of patients' personal belongings and have in place measures to help ensure their protection. These include the provision of secured storage facilities, the installation of surveillance cameras in public areas and the deployment of trained security personnel, to enhance security within hospital wards. PHIs will not hesitate to take strict disciplinary action against any personnel who illegally access patients' belongings or report them to the police.