Pirkanmaa wellbeing authority fires oncology specialist over privacy breach

Pirkanmaa's wellbeing authority fires an oncology specialist over a serious data privacy breach, YLE writes. Pirha says the doctor printed documents containing patient data and stored the prints negligently, violating statutory duties and employer guidelines.

The doctor had been employed by Pirha since 2022, and the termination decision is published on Pirha's website after first being reported by Aamulehti. Leena Tiainen, Pirha's area director, says the doctor has been released from duties during the notice period and currently has no access to the region's information systems or patients. Pirha notes there is no reason to believe patient data reached outsiders.

Pirha says it is handling the case with the region's data protection officer and will proceed according to his guidance, including the possibility of filing a criminal report. The Data Protection Authority's site states that a data controller must notify supervisory authorities and the individuals affected in certain circumstances, and that high-risk breaches require informing those affected.