Security concerns
3 December 2019
It’s hard to believe that this will be the last newsletter for 2019. The year has been a busy one for the HealthyPractice team, we have enjoyed all the contact we have had with you and we hope that you are enjoying the new website as much as we are.
We will be taking some time off and will have limited availability over the Christmas New Year period. Normal hours will resume from 6th January but you can still email us at business@mas.co.nz over the holiday period or call 0800 800 627 during usual business hours.
Our best wishes to you all for a safe, happy holiday season and a fantastic 2020 year.
Fiona, Chris and Shaun
This month we thought we would follow up our cybersecurity newsletter with some statistics and a few tips on practice security in general.
CertNZ provides a quarterly report on cybersecurity incident. The latest quarterly report available is for Q2 (1st April to 30th June 2019) and showed a 21% increase in incidents from Q1.
Of the 1,197 reports in Q2 from businesses and individuals:
- 23% of all incidents reported some type of loss
- Scams and frauds were responsible for 38% of reports, this was a 41% increase for Q1
- Ransomware incidents increased by 38% in Q2, most reports from businesses and organisations
- Direct financial loss reported in Q2 equalled $6.5 million
- Suspicious network traffic increased by 150% from Q1
It appears that most security incidents happen due to human error, e.g. staff clicking on a link in a phishing email. Providing communication and training on how to identify phishing emails, checking spelling, email addresses and anything else that might trigger alerts, e.g. attached invoices from suppliers that you are unaware of, requests to update a password by clicking on a link.
Practices hold valuable information and need to be vigilant about keeping this information safe. Read our content with tips https://www.healthypractice.co.nz/members/management/management-systems/information-technology/cybercrime-and-security/ and you might like to find out more about cyber insurance or arrange a quote.
Cybercrime is not the only security issue for practices. Over the holidays there may be times when staff are at the practice alone, have you put measures in place to make sure they are safe?
This can be as simple as a reminder:
- to lock doors if they are alone in the premises, especially if they are working in the back areas of your building
- Be aware of their surroundings when they are entering and exiting the premises
- Providing good sensor security lighting if staff are coming and going afterhours
- Panic buttons as part of your alarm security
- CCTV both internally and externally
There is content in HealthyPractice that give tips if your practice experiences an armed robbery or other security risks
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Due to recent changes, this month we wish to remind you of the update to the Privacy Act 2020 with a new principle called the Information Privacy Principle 3A (IPP3A). For practices’, the new principle means there are additional notification obligations when receiving personal information about a patient from a third party. Under IPP3A, if your practice receives patient information from another provider (such as a lab, hospital, specialist, pharmacy or ACC), you must take reasonable steps to let the patient know their information has been collected. This change applies to any information collected on or after 1st May 2026.
15 May 2026
Welcome Winter!
Winter is on the way, and with it usually comes the usual run of coughs, colds, and other bugs. Most practices will already have their usual measures in place but now is a good time to reinforce the basics and lead by example, particularly when it comes to staying home if you’re unwell. It is also a good time to check that expectations around leave, sick leave and wellbeing are clear heading into winter.
16 April 2026
Easing fuel and living-cost pressures, in practice
While we cannot control the wider economic environment, making clear, practical decisions in response to the current economic pressures can ease the load on our practice and our staff. Rising fuel prices and the broader cost-of-living pressure are not only having financial implications, they are also impacting how we feel about normal day-to-day ‘necessities’, which may be affecting stress levels and causing rising anxiety for some. It is important to focus on what we can change – how we can make small adjustments to support staff, reduce avoidable stress and keep the practice functioning well. own.
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