A long-serving hospital staffer was allegedly fired for taking a “sneaky peek” at the medical records of Daniel Andrews.
The former Victorian premier was admitted to Monash Clayton Hospital in southeast Melbourne late last year after suffering a reported neurological episode that left him debilitated.
Sources told the Herald Sun earlier this month Mr Andrews, 53, was “in a very bad way” and had had issues with his movement and speech. It’s understood his condition was improving under an intensive, ongoing rehab program.
On Tuesday, The Daily Mail reported that a Monash Clayton employee of 14 years was dismissed for accessing Mr Andrews’ records.
The 59-year-old woman, referred to by the pseudonym Michelle to protect her identity, said she overheard on the radio on December 18 that a “high-profile person” had been admitted to the hospital.
“I thought, that can’t be right – why Clayton? So I looked it up,” Michelle, who worked at the hospital’s Freedom of Information department, said.
“I pressed the restricted access button, had a quick skim … and that was it.”
A Monash Hospital staff member was reportedly fired for taking a ‘sneaky peek’ at the medical records of former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images
Michelle said that she “didn’t read anything, didn’t tell a soul”. Accessing information “for lawyers and patients is something that “everyone” who works at the hospital does, she said.
“I just did the wrong thing, like I pressed on the restricted access button and had a look,” she said.
