Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is a key part of the Sláintecare report. With regard to the components of the electronic systems speaking to each other I have a concern about patient confidentiality. My background is in a community pharmacy, and I am concerned especially about addiction services or people with HIV, or other health issues that are so personal that they do not want to deal with the doctor or community pharmacist in their own areas. I am concerned about having a huge system that everybody has access to because there have been examples of people accessing other people's social welfare details out of nosiness. How do we protect the patient? Should community pharmacists and the doctor in the hospital be able to see everything? There might just be the nosey neighbour wanting to find out about someone. It is important that personal data are not available. Firewalls must be put in place to prevent a breach. Can Dr. O'Hanlon give us any advice on that?