Privacy risks in the pharmacy
Privacy risks in the pharmacy
In a community pharmacy, patients and their personal data are in a shared public space.
This can present risks to their privacy including:
- Staff openly discussing patients prescriptions within range of the counter/shop floor
- Leaving prescriptions on public view such as on the counter
Information regarding an individual’s health is sensitive and confidential data. Failure to protect this information can be a breach of data security and the individual’s privacy.
It is your responsibility to protect this data at all times by ensuring you:
- Do not discuss prescriptions in front of patients
- Ensure all prescriptions and medications are handed out to the correct patient
- Do not leave prescriptions unattended in a shared public space.