Pharmacists need to know n ew privacy laws
12 March,2014
reference：http://www.guild.org.au/docs/default-source/public-documents/news-and-events/media-releases/2014/20140312-joint-media-release—pharmaceutical-society-of-australia-and-the-guild-re_-pharmacists-need-to-know-new-privacy-laws_540662_1.pdf?sfvrsn=0
Pharmacists need to know n
ew privacy laws
All pharmacists need to be aware of new privacy laws which have a stronger
emphasis on compliance
and enforcement.
The changes to C
ommonwealth Privacy
legislation
are effective from today, 12
March.
While compliance with the Commonwealth Privacy Act has always been compulsory,
pharmacists should be aw
are that as part of the changes
pharmacists and
pharmacies will need to comply with the new “Australian Privacy Principles.”
The amendments also give th
e Office of the Aust
ralian Information Commissioner
enhanced
powers, including the ability to as
sess privacy
performance and to seek
pe
nalties for serious or repeated breaches of privacy.
The nature of the information collected by pharmacists and pharmacy staff every
day,
combined with the growth in electronic
collection, storage and use of customer
data, highlights the need for pharmacis
ts, pharmacies and their staff to ensure they
comply with the new privacy laws.
While mo
st pharmacists know they have a responsibility to
comply with privacy
legislation
,
there is
understandably likely to be
little
awarene
ss of the detail of the
reforms
which come in
to effect
from today. Accordingly,
the Pharmacy Guild of
Australia and
the
Phar
maceutical Society of Australia
have developed
jointly
a suite
of resources
to help
our
members meet the
new privacy obligations.
Resources include guides, for
ms and templates as well
as
case
study
scenarios.