Protecting patients’ privacy is paramount; every day of the year. Privacy Awareness Week, held annually from 16-22 June, is yet another time to focus on privacy issues and the importance of protecting personal information. ‘Privacy—it’s everyone’s business’ is this year’s theme. Make it yours!
Pharmacists are in a unique position of trust, having a responsibility to respect and protect the privacy of all customers and to take proactive measures to safeguard customer personal information. All pharmacy staff are exposed to, and entrusted with, personal information, including patients’ sensitive health information. Regardless of how much personal information that you handle, it is vital that all pharmacy staff, no matter their role, understand the important role that they play in assisting your pharmacy to meet its privacy obligations. It is important to embed a strong culture of privacy understanding and compliance in your pharmacy, including conducting regular reviews and training on:
- what is and isn’t personal information, sensitive information and health information
- your pharmacy’s privacy policy, practices and processes to ensure that customers’ personal information remains, at all times, safe and secure
- the procedures to be followed in the unfortunate event that a privacy breach is suspected to have occurred
Privacy compliance is not static. While the increasingly digital world that we live in presents new opportunities, it also brings significant challenges for pharmacy owners, who must ensure that their pharmacy’s practices and procedures comply with relevant legislative requirements, are regularly reviewed, and accord with best industry practice.
Failure to properly manage personal information can cause serious reputational harm and erode public confidence. In addition, recent reforms to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) have escalated the financial penalties for privacy breaches, making it more important than ever that all individuals within your pharmacy, regardless of their role, are aware of and take their privacy obligations seriously.
Further information on Privacy Awareness Week 2025, your privacy rights, the Australian Privacy Principles and other privacy related guidance is available here.
