Medical details of hundreds of patients have been found unsecured at a Warren waste depot.
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The serious privacy breach involves thousands of medical documents some detailing highly sensitive information regarding patients of a former Warren GP.
The documents included psychiatric reports detailing mental illness, information about sexually transmitted infections and domestic violence involving children.
An unsealed container full of used and unused syringes and 15 blank prescription pads were also located at the rubbish dump.
It is unclear how the documents and the medical instruments ended up in the waste depot. Most of the information refers to patients of Dr Manmit Madan between 2005 and 2007.
Dr Madan owned a private general practice at 132 Dubbo Street before selling it to another doctor who closed the practice earlier this year.
Dr Madan was shocked when contacted by the Daily Liberal at his practice in Sydney.
“I’m very concerned. This is the first time I’ve heard about it and I’m very disturbed,” he said.
Dr Madan said he sold the practice in December 2007.
Among the discoveries at the waste depot was a communicable disease register with names included.
Other documents included detailed pathology reports with blood examination results; Centrelink information; patient medication histories; dementia test results; swab test details; breast screening and pap smear results; Workcover files; copies of medical certificates and letters from specialists with detailed patient information.
Earlier this year when the medical practice closed down the records of deceased patients were handed over to the council where according to Mayor Rex Wilson they were under “lock and key”.
The medical records of living patients were transported to Warren Hospital.
Neither Warren council nor Greater Western have been able to shed light on how the documents at the tip may have got there.
“I can confirm the records that we took from (the) surgery are still under lock and key,” Cr Wilson said.
“That’s the limit to our knowledge.
“I’m obviously concerned and would like it to be investigated.
“They certainly haven’t come from us.”
Some of the discovered medical documents included Greater Western patient progress reports.
“The area health service has certainly not dumped medical records in the waste depot,” a spokesperson from Greater Western said.
“All patient information must be confidential, so yes we are concerned from this aspect.”
