SA Health suspends 10 staff over allegations they inappropriately accessed a patient’s medical records

SA Health has suspended 10 staff over allegations they inappropriately accessed the medical records of a patient reported to be the son of SA’s top cop.

SA Health has suspended 10 staff members over allegations they inappropriately accessed the medical records of a patient reported to be the son of SA’s top cop, who died after a tragic Schoolies incident.

Charlie Stevens, the son of SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens was struck in a hit-run crash at Goolwa Beach in November, 2023.

The 18-year-old was taken to Flinders Medical Centre but later died.

In a statement sent to The Advertiser, SA Health’s deputy chief executive Judith Formston confirmed 18 staff were currently under investigation for the potential inappropriate access of a Southern Adelaide Local Health Network patient’s record.

Flinders Medical Centre sits within the SALHN.

She said 10 of those workers had so far been suspended “for a couple of months”, pending the outcome of the investigations.

Health minister Chris Picton said the incident is being “dealt with the highest level of seriousness”.

“If people have been found to have inappropriately accessed medical records, then they need to be shown the door,” Mr Piction said.

“This is not only an impact upon the family involved but it's a breach of trust to all other SA Health who do the right thing.”

Charlie Stevens and Grant Stevens. Picture: Supplied

Mr Picton said if anyone is found to have breached a patients confidentiality they will “no longer be working for SA Health”.

SA Health did not confirm the medical records that are the subject of the allegations were those of Charlie Stevens.

However in a statement, an SA Police spokesman said SA Health had “kept the Stevens family apprised of its investigation”.

“The Stevens family has no further comment,” the spokesman said. .

SA Health said: “The patient’s family is being kept informed of the ongoing investigations.”

“Our sincerest apologies go to the family for distress caused.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas condemned the alleged actions of the health workers and said anyone who is found to have inappropriately accessed records “will be treated harsh” once the investigation has concluded.

“When we see a couple of (people) in the system accessing information to satisfy their own intrigue rather than what’s actually about the care of the patient,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“Just because you work in the health system, doesn’t give you a right to go looking into other people’s business.”

Generic image of health workers. Picture: File

Opposition leader David Speirs said workers found guilty should be sacked instead of facing a suspension.

In a statement to media, an SA Police spokesman said SA Health had “kept the Stevens family apprised of its investigation”.

“The Stevens family has no further comment,” the spokesman said.

In 2018, The Advertiser revealed SA Health had sacked at least 13 staff and disciplined 26 – one on their final warning – for trawling patient health records without authorisation.

SA Health brought in a termination policy in the wake of the Cy Walsh scandal when it was revealed 13 clinicians hacked into his medical records without authority after his admission to Flinders Medical Centre following the stabbing death of his father, then-Crows coach Phil Walsh, in 2015.

Those 13 – from across the health system – were disciplined.

It then emerged that at least nine patients had their records browsed without authority by at least 24 staff.