The National Credit Regulator (NCR) issued a compliance notice to a credit bureau for keeping information about the medical status of consumers on its records. “The notice requires Consumer Profile Bureau (Pty) Ltd (CPB) to remove all medical information from its records and to stop entering this information on its records,” according to NCR spokesperson Lebogang Selibi.
She said the compliance report submitted to the NCR showed that CPB had information relating to the medical status of consumers on its records, which was in breach of the National Credit Act. “The NCA does not allow a credit bureau to have this type of information on its records,” Selibi said.
The credit bureau was also required to submit an audit report to the NCR. “The NCR will continue to monitor all the credit bureaus and ensure that they do not keep information which is not allowed in terms of the NCA on their records,” she said.
HPCSA comment:
A practitioner shall at all times respect patient confidentiality, privacy, choices and dignity.
The HPCSA is reminding practitioners that information concerning a patient’s health, including information concerning treatment may only be disclosed with informed consent, except when required in terms of any law or any order of court.
Please consult the ethical booklet on patient records by clicking here.
Source: Fin24.com
Last Updated on 9 July 2014 by HPCSA Corporate Affairs