Investigation launched after prison staff emailed health files of more than 80 colleagues

An investigation is under way after a ‘routine’ email to prison staff saw sensitive files detailing the mental and physical health of more than 80 officers shared in error.

Prison authorities have launched an investigation into how sensitive files ‘detailing the mental and physical health of more than 80 officers managed to be sent out in a “routine” staff email.

The extraordinary privacy breach occurred last Monday when an email, sent to Shortland Correctional Centre staff in the state’s Hunter region, contained the erroneous attachment.

The files contained highly sensitive information such as the names of individuals along with the details of their mental and physical health, whether they had been the victim of harassment or bullying, treatment they were receiving and their fitness to work.

They also detailed whether a staff member was on workers compensation, had been suspended from duty, details of upcoming psychiatric reviews and included comments such as whether a person had “a history of taking personal leave” and “not turning up to shifts”.

Despite having the email recalled, Corrective Services NSW confirmed it was not before the offending correspondence had been read “by a small number of staff”.

Inside Shortland Correctional Centre at Cessnock. Picture: Supplied.

Copies of the files were sent to social media and The Daily Telegraph, which has chosen not to republish the documents.

A prison source who received the files said staff were in uproar at the privacy breach and were awaiting to be told what action would be taken to those responsible.

“The documents actually give information regarding people with mental health conditions, people who are on workers compensation and being investigated to determine the validity of their claim, people were are suspended, people awaiting professional standards investigations,” the source said.

“There are people included on the list who would not want outsiders to know any of this information.”

The privacy breach comes almost a year after sensitive NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption referral documents were mistakenly uploaded to a Special Commission of Inquiry into imprisoned former correctional officer Wayne Astill, who was convicted in 2023 of 34 charges, including aggravated sexual assault and indecent assault, while working as a guard at Dillwynia Correctional Centre in western Sydney.

The documents included allegations of sexual assaults, dismemberment videos and claims of an inmate being forced to bark for his meals.

Shortland Correctional Centre at Cessnock. Picture: Supplied.

A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said the department had contacted impacted staff and offered them access to support.

The department had also referred the matter to the Professional Standards and Investigations Unit.

“Corrective Services NSW sincerely apologises to the staff whose personal information was shared in error,” she said.

“Our primary concern is to support the wellbeing of the individuals affected by the breach.

“The email was recalled but had been read by a small number of staff. Centre management is managing the situation in accordance with established data and privacy breach processes.”

She said the agency had deleted the erroneous email from inboxes, “while those who read the email have been reminded of obligations not to share the sensitive information”.

Originally published as Investigation launched after prison staff emailed health files of more than 80 colleagues