‘Lift the blanket of darkness on public documents’

PATIENTS AT state hospitals are not entitled to have copies of their medical files, making it impossible for them to seek details of their medical history or substantiate cases of medical negligence, the House heard yesterday.

Speaking after yesterday’s session of the House Legal Affairs Committee, chairman, DISY’s Ionas Nicolaou, said his committee was examining a bill that would amend the Freedom of Information Act as far as state archives were concerned.

“This is a necessity that is absent from our legal system, because today unfortunately and unacceptably, it is impossible for someone to acquire a copy of personal documents,” said Nicolaou.

“For example, a patient can’t seek a copy of his or her medical file at the general hospital. This is serious to the extent that some have difficulties in seeking treatment but also in establishing negligence in the way they were treated by doctors.”

Nicolaou said there was an immediate need to regulate the matter. “Everyone understands that this bill needs to be accompanied by restrictions, to comply with personal data laws,” he added.

Next week, Nicolaou said his committee would decide whether to create a new law or embody it in the law for state archives.

DIKO’s Nicolas Papadopoulos said his party agreed with the principle of the bill. “We feel the government’s documents belong to the public and not public servants,” said Papadopoulos. “In our view, we need to lift the blanket of darkness that now exists on all public documents. We need the principle of clarity and we are prepared to support such a regulation.”

He added, however, that a special category of confidential documents should be included in the law.

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