Minister’s Review of ManageMyHealth Breach Under Scrutiny
The Public Service Association (PSA) emphasizes that Health Minister Simeon Brown’s recent review into the ManageMyHealth cybersecurity incident must adequately address the ramifications of the Government’s decision to downsize the IT workforce tasked with safeguarding patient information within the public health sector.
This breach, affecting the private health data of approximately 126,000 individuals in New Zealand, serves as a stark illustration of the repercussions associated with neglecting to invest in contemporary, secure IT infrastructures.
“The Minister speaks of ‘significant wake-up calls’ and ‘the highest standards’—yet where was this vigilance when his administration was reducing the Digital Services team at Health NZ?” questioned Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“It is imperative for the Minister to recognize that the Government made egregious errors. Acknowledging such missteps is not an act of shame; the potential consequences are far too grave.”
“The threats extend beyond ManageMyHealth itself—cybercriminals are continuously evolving in sophistication. Notably, a ransomware incident in 2021 already compromised patient data at Waikato DHB.”
“Any forthcoming review must scrutinize the Government’s reductions in IT personnel and its failure to adequately invest in digital services aimed at preserving patient data managed by Health NZ.”
Clinicians are currently facing ongoing challenges with patient portal access, while the response times from service desks are alarmingly sluggish due to resource shortfalls.
Health NZ has resorted to employing contractors from Datacom to mitigate these deficiencies. This all points to the mounting pressure on Health NZ’s IT systems, heightening their vulnerability to cyber attacks.
The PSA serves as the representative body for health IT professionals.
“The Minister would benefit from engaging with frontline IT personnel at Health NZ, who experience firsthand the challenges posed by antiquated systems, inadequate resources, and the daunting task of ensuring security amidst a workforce depletion.”
“The PSA is committed to collaborating with Health NZ on this review and urges a reassessment of the extensive submission previously made, which outlined the risks associated with proposed reductions in the digital services workforce for 2024.”
“To date, the Government appears more focused on fiscal conservatism rather than on preserving lives, as evidenced by the PSA’s recent findings that nearly 3,000 health workers have been dismissed over the past two years.”
“New Zealanders deserve a healthcare framework that ensures the safeguarding of their private information. Such an endeavor necessitates substantial investment in IT security and the specialists responsible for its implementation—not relentless cost-cutting that jeopardizes system integrity.”
Source link: Thedailyblog.co.nz.
