Nova Scotia passes law allowing government access to private medical records
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Prior to the passing of Nova Scotia Bill 419, the CEO of the province’s College of Physicians and Surgeons Dr. Gus Grant had warned that the law would make the ‘entirety’ of patient medical records ‘accessible to government.’
(LifeSiteNews) — The province of Nova Scotia has passed a bill despite concerns from doctors and politicians over a clause in the legislation that grants the government access to the private medical records of citizens.
Passed and given Royal Assent on April 5, Nova Scotia’s Bill 419 will allow the Premier Tim Houston’s Progressive Conservative provincial government access to the private medical information of their citizens, despite warnings from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia that it would undermine doctor-patient relationships.
“This new law will require all physicians to enable access to their medical records for the minister,” Dr. Gus Grant, CEO of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, warned during a March 25 legislative meeting.
“For physicians, this creates a new professional legal duty,” he added. “And for patients, it means the entirety of their medical records will be accessible to government.”
“I see it as the responsibility of the college to speak on behalf of the public, which I would expect is largely unaware of this seemingly innocuous amendment and its potential consequences,” he added.
The legislation, introduced by the minister of finance on March 5, is part of the Financial Measures Act. However, Nova Scotia doctors quickly pointed out a clause in the proposed legislation which seeks to amend the Personal Health Information Act.
Under the new changes, the minister of health and her department have increased access to the health records of Nova Scotians.
Clause 110 of the legislation allows the government to “make regulations requiring personal health information to be disclosed for the purpose of planning and management of the health system, resource allocation and creating or maintain(ing) electronic health record programs and services.”
Already, Canadians saw a massive breach of confidentiality during the COVID “pandemic” when citizens’ vaccination status could be demanded by restaurant owners or airline staff under government mandate.