VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Amid a rise in mental health cases, Vancouver police are calling for privacy law changes.
Civil liberties advocates are concerned and want clarity about the kind of information police and hospitals can share.
The BC Civil Liberties Association is urging caution, arguing confidentiality for mental health patients is important.
Cst. Brian Montague admits it’s a balancing act. “We also don’t want someone’s privacy interfering with their safety.”
As an example, police say they may need to know when someone brought in under the Mental Health Act is discharged.
Montague says it’s about clearing the confusion, since privacy laws are interpreted differently depending on the medical professional. “We want to just make sure we’re all working off the same page here.”
The department says medical professionals right now interpret privacy laws differently.
Request for privacy law changes worries BCCLA
By Jason Howe / http://www.news1130.com/2014/03/02/request-for-privacy-law-changes-worries-bccla/
Published on March 2, 2014
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Amid a rise in mental health cases, Vancouver police are calling for privacy law changes.
Civil liberties advocates are concerned and want clarity about the kind of information police and hospitals can share.
The BC Civil Liberties Association is urging caution, arguing confidentiality for mental health patients is important.
Cst. Brian Montague admits it’s a balancing act. “We also don’t want someone’s privacy interfering with their safety.”
As an example, police say they may need to know when someone brought in under the Mental Health Act is discharged.
Montague says it’s about clearing the confusion, since privacy laws are interpreted differently depending on the medical professional. “We want to just make sure we’re all working off the same page here.”
The department says medical professionals right now interpret privacy laws differently.
CIVIL LIBERTIES CAN’T PROTECT THEMSELVES