Source: PSA
The PSA says Health Minister Simeon Brown’s review into the ManageMyHealth cyber security breach announced today must confront the Government’s own actions in downsizing the very IT workforce responsible for protecting patient data in our public health system.
The breach, which has compromised the private health information of up to 126,000 New Zealanders, is a chilling reminder of what happens when you fail to invest in secure, modern IT systems.
“The Minister talks about ‘big wake up calls’ and ‘highest standards’ — but where was his concern when his Government was downsizing the Digital Services team at Health NZ?” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The Minister needs to be open to admitting the Government got this all wrong. There is no shame in that. The stakes are too high.
“The risks are not confined to ManageMyHeatlh – hackers are getting more sophisticated every day and it was only in 2021 that a ransomware attack exposed patient data at Waikato DHB.
“Any review must consider the Government’s own actions in cutting IT staff and failing to invest in digital services to protect patient information managed by Health NZ.
“We know that clinicians are having persistent problems accessing patient portals, and service desks are slow to respond because they are under-resourced. Health NZ has been forced to bring in contractors from Datacom to plug the gaps. All this is evidence of Health NZ’s IT systems under strain and at risk of cyber security attacks.”
The PSA is the union for health IT workers.
“The Minister needs to talk to frontline IT workers in Health NZ who see every day the problems with outdated systems, insufficient resources, and the impossible task of maintaining security when Health NZ has let experts go and is struggling to find replacements.
“The PSA will co-operate fully with Health NZ for the review and as a starting point urges it to reconsider the comprehensive submission it provided, setting out the risks to its proposal to slash the digital services workforce in 2024.
“To date the Government has been more intent on saving money than saving lives as evidenced in the PSA’s analysis released today showing nearly 3000 health workers have been let go over the last two years (see analysis below).
“New Zealanders deserve a health system where their private information is protected. That requires proper investment in IT security and the experts who deliver it — not endless cost-cutting that leaves our systems vulnerable.”
Background
Previous PSA statements on Health NZ IT cuts:
