Access card warning

The Government taskforce looking at consumer and privacy issues in relation to the proposed national smartcard has identified problems relating to storing personal medical details on the card.

The taskforce has suggested that any emergency medical information stored on the card that can be accessed by health workers should be authenticated and verified by a doctor.

Suggestions that the card should include information about the cardholders’ HIV or hepatitis C status were rejected on the basis that health workers would apply normal infection control precautions in dealing with blood and other bodily fluids.

However, the taskforce supported including information about conditions such as epilepsy, asthma, diabetes and hemophilia, organ donor status and allergies, along with contact details for emergency alert organisations such as Medic Alert.