Patient records stolen in cyber-attack on Australian healthcare provider | Australia news
Thousands of medical records and patient information stored at one of Australia’s largest healthcare providers have been breached in a cyber attack.
Partnered Health, owned by private equity firm Quadrant, said 21 clinics across cities including Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra were affected by the breach, which occurred on June 23.
“Our investigations to date have confirmed the receipt of personal information (including health information) from some clinics in our network,” the healthcare provider said in a statement Wednesday.
“As a healthcare provider, we know our patients and the public trust us with personal and medical information, and we sincerely apologize for any concern and inconvenience this may cause them.”
The health group said a “malicious actor” had accessed the data and should report the incident to the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Australian Information Commissioner’s Office and law enforcement.
Stolen personal information includes names, dates of birth, addresses and contact information, as well as Medicare, private health insurance and discount card information.
Medical information and treatment details, including consultation notes, referral letters and pathology or diagnostic results recorded by a GP, were also breached.
The medical group has sought an injunction from the Supreme Court of NSW to prevent the accessed data from being used or published.
Founded in 2013, Partnered Health has more than 60 medical centers nationwide, as well as skin cancer, allied health and mental health clinics, and its services reach more than five million people.
In June, Bupa announced the acquisition of Partnered Health, the latest major business to be hit by hackers.
Data breach notifications to the Australian Information Commissioner’s Office hit a record high in 2025; Major incidents including a cyberattack on Qantas where details of 5.7 million customers were reportedly compromised and leaked on the dark web.
The office said it received 1,205 data breach notifications in calendar year 2025, representing an eight percent increase over 2024.
