Political parties 'have access to hospital patient details'
Recent amendments to the General Elections Act are in conflict with the provisions of the Data Protection Act, Alternattiva Demokratika insisted today.
Deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said AD had had a meeting with the Chief Electoral Commissioner in view of the amendments to the General Elections Act. The amendments, he said, provided that state hospitals as well as old people’s homes were to submit regular updated list of patients and inmates to the political parties for the purposes of monitoring the electoral process.
Prof. Arnold Cassola, who was also present for the meeting said: "The provisions of these amendments actually allow the political parties not only to know who has been admitted to hospital on a daily basis for a whole two months, but also to indirectly know what particular condition or ailment inmates are suffering from. This is totally unacceptable in the democratic world".
Mr Cacopardo said that AD will be asking the Data Protection Commissioner to investigate the manner in which the electoral process will invade the privacy of patients in state hospitals through the list of patients being provided to the political parties. The Commissioner will be requested to provide remedies ensuring that the provisions of the Data Protection Act are observed.
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51 Comments
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David Hagberg
Dec 18th 2012, 11:43
Why are the PARTIES handling any part the election process? Is it not more appropriate that this is handled by an unbiased government body?
Arranging for the hospitilized to vote could be handled by hospital administration, i do not see why it is neccesary to infringe on the integrity of individuals in this manner.
leo briffa
Dec 18th 2012, 09:03
you thought this was unacceptable. go to any Health centre and if you know where a patient lives and his ID number (easy to find in both cases) anyone has the possibility of viewing that person's medical files.....this is what a recent memo states in all Health Centres, there is no need to have an ID card, just the number and the address. how's that for data protection.
Philip Grech
Dec 18th 2012, 08:39
VERY VERY SIMPLE
If I am in hospital on any day between those dates I will NOT vote irrespective where I am on election day. Only if I am not alone in this will the parties find a remedy.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Dec 18th 2012, 06:28
@ArnoldCassola.
Being a patient in a particular ward does NOT disclose the disease the patient is suffering from. There would be a host of possible maladies, not just one disease.
Karl Consiglio
Dec 18th 2012, 00:33
Issa I give AD the two . For whatever its worth.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Dec 18th 2012, 08:21
You cannot give your number two vote to AD or to any political party. You are supposed to vote for listed individuals.
M Borg
Dec 17th 2012, 21:09
@ John Zammit ( today 18:14 )
Prof. Arnold Cassola, who was also present for the meeting said: "The provisions of these amendments actually allow the political parties not only to know who has been admitted to hospital on a daily basis for a whole two months, but also to indirectly know what particular condition or ailment inmates are suffering from
John Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 20:59
Another thing that the parties have a right for is the ID card of all those who fail to Vote This was introduced in 1992
vincent a galea
Dec 17th 2012, 20:46
If this is correct, it is despicable.......
Mr Tony Gatt
Dec 17th 2012, 20:14
I suppose at the end of the day what does all this matter? Brussels will make the laws in future and the ridiculous posturing of the political parties is just a circus.
Mr Marcel Dingli
Dec 17th 2012, 18:46
Not even your vote is secret folks. With the system as it is it could be calculated fairly well not only the party one votes for but also the candidate.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Dec 18th 2012, 08:03
Prove it!
Lawrence Attard
Dec 17th 2012, 17:37
This is totally unacceptable and in breach of our rights and dignity. The EU should ask the Maltese Government / Parliament to change the law forthwith. Smajt sur Martin Bugelli, Head EU Commission represantative office. Please inform the EU accordingly.
John Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:53
So Mr Attard you prefer risking a patient live than tell the parties "Just this person is in Hospital "
Dennis Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 18:32
What breach of rights? The data collected is solely used for the benefit of the patients to help them vote in their hospital where they are currently recovered.
With reference to your point of dignity, don't you think that arriving in an ambulance on a stretcher to the Polling Station and passing in front of all the voters queuing up to vote does not show everyone that you where in hospital?
Tonio Bugeja
Dec 17th 2012, 23:04
@dennis zammit-
daqshekk int mazzun sur zammit? for the benefit of the patient OR for the benefit of the parties?
Kieku inkun jien l-isptar fi zmien elezjoni m`ghadekx cans li nohrog nivvota....
B`liema dritt ikun jaf BIG BROTHER fejn qieghed jien- MOQZIEZA l-AFFARI!!!!!!!
Joe Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:30
Article 82(3) states: “On receipt thereof the sub-committee shall immediately
provide the political parties with copies of such lists.”
arnold cassola
Dec 17th 2012, 17:46
Stop twisting facts Mr Zammit!
Of course I am in favour of patients voting in hospitals. But we do not need daily lists of patients for 60 days.
All the electoral commission needs is ONE list, three days before election day.
Daily monitoring of patients (and nurses too, by the way) goes against a patient's right to privacy.
Joe Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:53
Arnold,
Why are you saying I'm twisting facts? Which facts am I twisting? I'm just quoting the law which no one can deny.
John Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:55
Dr Cassola if no list is given to the parties How they are going to control abuse
arnold cassola
Dec 17th 2012, 18:00
Not meant for you, Mr Joe Zammit.
I'm sorry.
Meant for Mr John Zammit's comment.
M Borg
Dec 17th 2012, 18:14
@ John Zammit
Give them the list but do they need to know the conditions patients are suffering from?
John Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 18:43
@ M Borg The parties are not going to be given the details of their medical history Just Their ID card and name
arnold cassola
Dec 17th 2012, 17:18
for John Zammit: No fabricated lies from me, Mr Zammit. The parties have to be given the wards where patients are day by day from 7 January till 8 March. So if Mr X is in orthopaedics they know you broke a leg, if in cardiology heart problems, if in urology prostate or what not. If you are happy with this Mr Zammit...I am not! I shall never be a slave of the political parties.
John Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:34
Come on DR. Cassola Grow up and what's good for democracy say it's Good. Do you want a patient to die on his way to vote Say from MATER DEI to Mellieha
Dennis Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:50
No one is pushing you into slavery. You may opt to move out of politics.
After all, it's about time you call it a day . . . . maybe you can try again outside your home country.
arnold cassola
Dec 17th 2012, 18:02
Pity you are twisting facts again Mr John Zammit.
All is required is one list on the eve of the elections and not 60 different lists (as the law stipulates) for every day between 7 January and 9 March.
Joseph Attard
Dec 17th 2012, 18:05
@ Arnold Cassola
Jekk xi hadd imur ir-reception tal-isptar u jistaqsi ghalija se jghidulu f'liem sala qieghed. Imma b'daqshekk se jkunu jafu x'ghandi?
U minn fejn gibta li jekk tkun urology ghandek problemi bil-prostata? (forsi tkun mara) .
Mr Tony Gatt
Dec 17th 2012, 20:10
So they can send you their 'sympathies' for your condition! Voting is supposed to be secret so only when elections are coming up do they need details.
In the U.K. you can be on the register of voters and this goes on residence only, via your local council. The council will send you a voting form at the appropriate time- the political parties have no say who these forms go to.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Dec 18th 2012, 10:54
@A Cassola
Being a patient in the Orthopaedics Dept. does NOT mean you suffer from a broken leg. You could be suffering from arthritis etc. In the Urology Dept you do not necessarily suffer from prostate. You could be suffering from the complications of Gonorrhoea etc. Your "slavery" is not to political parties (other than AD).
It is to ignorance about medical matters, not to fabricating lies
Joe Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:12
Article 81(1) states: Within twenty-four hours of the publication of the Writ for the election of members to the House, the Commission shall form a sub-committee consisting of a Commissioner, who shall act as chairperson, and a representative of each of the political parties and shall delegate to the sub-committee the running of the election in all retirement homes and hospitals.
Joe Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:08
Art. 80 of Chapter 354 General Elections Act reads:
"For the purpose of this Part, "a retirement home" means such place or places principally used for the care of elderly persons in which at least fifty voters reside and "hospitals" means Mater Dei Hospital, Karen Grech Hospital and Mount Carmel Hospital in Malta and the General Hospital in Gozo:"
John Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:02
What political parties had right for is the detail such as ID and Name so that the patient will not have to take risk and leave hospital to vote, but vote at the Hospital itself
Joe Grech
Dec 17th 2012, 16:59
Well Done to Alternattiva Demokratika!
Shame on the present administration for allowing such abuse and corruption!
Hopefully sweet talking Dr. Simon Busuttil and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will explain WHY this abuse was tolerated!
John Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 16:59
What prof. Cassola said about Political Parties having the right to know the condition of patients is a pure fabricated Lie
Joe Felice-Pace
Dec 17th 2012, 16:38
What is a patient's relatives want to deny him the exercise of the right to vote?
Saviour Sam Agius
Dec 17th 2012, 16:13
Dan mhu xejn! Id-data protection act ma teżistix għall-partiti. Jiksruha sfaċċatament il-ħin kollu.
M. Grech
Dec 17th 2012, 16:11
Shameful and totally unacceptable.
Michael Seychell
Dec 17th 2012, 17:20
M Grech You know what is 'Shameful and totally unacceptable', the fact that Dimentia patients in a particular Hall at Mount Carmel were 'urged' not to say forced to vote yes in the divorce referendum.
Michael Seychell Tal-Pieta
Joseph Attard
Dec 17th 2012, 18:09
@ Seychell
Jekk sar hekk sar hazin. Imma tahseb li minn naha tal-le ma heggewx nies? U r-referendum x'ghandu x'jaqsam? Peress li kienu biss ftit voti li dawru r-rizultat favur l-iva!
Paul Galea
Dec 17th 2012, 16:08
Lets see what Joseph Muscat has to say about this. Most probably he will blame Gonzi PN.
A Cachia
Dec 17th 2012, 16:56
When a party has been in government for 25 years I do not know who else there is to blame! :)
Joe Grech
Dec 17th 2012, 17:02
@Paul Galie - Of course Joseph Muscat will blame GonziPN.
But you show yourself to be really Politcally Blinkered my friend.
Would you be happy if details concerning yourself would one day be accessed at Pieta or Blata l-Bajda?
Time for you to wake up....or rather to GROW UP!
H. Meilak
Dec 17th 2012, 17:09
@A. Cachia.
The PN has not been in government for the whole 25 years.....there were 22 months of wasted time between 96 and 98.
Mr Tony Gatt
Dec 17th 2012, 15:50
".........were to submit regular updated list of patients and inmates to the political parties for the purposes of monitoring the electoral process."
What's the difference between that and a police state? Who do these people think they are?
Joseph Attard
Dec 17th 2012, 15:46
Kif tista tkun taf biex qed ibati pazjent? Ghax tkun taf f' liema sala bniedem ikun ma jfissirx li tkun taf x'kundizzjoni medika ghandu!
Suggett ghall-korrezzjoni, imma jidhirli li jekk immur fir-reception tal-isptar u nistaqsi fejn jinsab Mr X ukoll jghiduli f'liem sala qieghed. Imma b'daqshekk ma nkunx naf x'ghandu
Rita Vella
Dec 17th 2012, 15:17
I do not care of voting but I really care about my privacy. Political parties should be ashamed of this breach of privacy.
Mr Tony Gatt
Dec 17th 2012, 16:30
In Northern Ireland the saying was "Vote early and vote often". Maybe they are looking to stuff the ballots with the newly-departed's votes!
Joseph Borg
Dec 17th 2012, 15:04
Taparsi ghanda Data Protection. Ghandek ragun sur Cacopardi. Hawn Malta kollox lesti jaghmlu il partiti ghal skopijiet taghhom u jigi jitmelhu min kollox u min kullhadd. La poplu joqod ghal kollox sewwa jaghmlulna. Pajjizna qatt ma kien serju min dak il mument li l-Malti ha riedni tal pajjiz f'idejh. Ghiduli li tridu ghax hekk il verita.
Chris Sammut
Dec 17th 2012, 14:57
This is totally wrong in my opinion, data protection should be clear and won t allow political parties to know what patients are suffering from!
V. Cauchi
Dec 17th 2012, 14:57
These electoral behind-the-back arrangements between the two major parties must stop. It is an absolute hegemony for power which makes their democratic status highly faulty. There are many other electoral issues which have to be discussed before the whole process becomes really credible. And given the two-thirds amendment provision in the consitution there is little hope, if any, for improvement.
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