Health Minister's Office Faces Backlash for Sharing Patient Details

0:00The latest headlines, weather, and stories right here on Sydney News today. A South Australian Health Minister's office has faced backlash for sharing patient details with journalists without consent, marking the second such. Incident in days, 66-year-old Monica Wollstad, who has blood cancer called myeloma, had her spinal surgery canceled four times recently. Before an opposition press conference last November, where she shared her struggles, the officeent report his background information on her case. Without contacting her first, earlier this week, Wollstad learned about the release and called it an attempt to downplay her bad experience in the health system. She stressed that her medical information is private and said the government should have asked for permission first, which she would have denied. Now, she is demanding a formal apology from state officials. Opposition leaders have slammed the handling with liberal figures raising serious doubts about the minister's judgment. They pointed out, this follows a similar mix-up, where the office shared an email meant to praise

1:00care, but came from the wrong person. Health spokesperson Heidi Jurelamo, renewed calls for the minister to step aside amid fears of more breaches. Health Minister Chris Picton apologized for the first error, but defended the latest action as necessary to correct public misinformation. He admitted to a mistake in authorizing the earlier release, but insisted it was not meant to discredit anyone. Picton has no plans to resign and described the Wollstad situation as a different scenario. Premier Peter Malinowskas has stood firmly behind his minister, calling it a poor judgment call, but praising his honesty and regret. Meanwhile, Green's leaders are pushing for a wider probe into health department practices and other government areas to ensure patient concerns are not. Weaponized against them. D&N is sponsored by our partner. Check out the episode description. When you want calm, do not reach for your phone. Lay back and listen, s-o-l-i-soli-pillow-dot-com.