Australian GP clinic network hit by major cyber breach

A network of general practice and skin cancer clinics in Australia has been hit by a cyber attack that may have exposed patient medical records and personal information. Partnered Health said it had identified more than a dozen clinic locations where information may have been taken, including sites in several major cities. The company said it became aware of the breach on 23 June and has been working with cyber agencies and police since then.

Sponsored

Partnered Health said patients' medical records were accessed and taken in the incident, and that some affected patients were contacted late on Tuesday. The company operates 57 clinics across the country and has listed 16 locations where patient information may have been stolen. It said the material may include consultation notes, referral letters and pathology results, as well as names, contact details, addresses, Medicare details and private health insurance information.

The clinics named so far include practices in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Coffs Harbour. Partnered Health said it has also listed another five clinics, including some in Western Australia, where it is still investigating whether details were taken. The company said it has engaged cyber experts to assess exactly what was stolen and has sought legal orders to protect the information.

The breach is significant because it involves health records, which can contain highly sensitive personal information and are often difficult to replace or secure once exposed. In Australia, medical providers hold large volumes of patient data across distributed clinic networks, making them a potential target for cyber attacks. The incident also adds to wider concerns about the security of essential service providers and the handling of personal data.

Sponsored

Partnered Health said it has been working with the Australian Cyber Security Centre and police while continuing to notify patients from impacted clinics. It said its investigations have confirmed that personal information, including health information, was taken from some clinics in its network. The company has not said how many patients may be affected, and it remains unclear exactly what data was removed from each location.

What happens next will depend on the outcome of the ongoing forensic investigation and the company's patient notifications. It is also unclear whether the breach was limited to the 16 named clinics or extends further across the network. The case is likely to remain under close scrutiny as authorities and the provider assess the scale of the exposure and the risk to affected patients.

#Australia #cyberbreach #healthrecords #PartneredHealth #patientdata