Royal Darwin Hospital has formally apologised after private medical information about several pregnant patients was leaked on an Instagram account with over 28,000 followers, with the NT Health Minister calling the incident a “serious breach of trust and a betrayal that should never have happened”.

The leak, first reported by ABC Darwin, was traced back to a social media account linked to Dr Neda Mogharehabed, who was completing a short placement at RDH which has since been terminated. The hospital said the leaked materials contained sensitive patient information, including names, medical histories, and treatment plans, as well as a video from an internal staff meeting.

RDH and the government stated the breach of confidentiality was being treated with the utmost seriousness and appropriate measures being taken to address the issue.

In a letter issued to impacted patients, RDH stated that NT Health had been notified about Dr Mogharehabed, an internationally trained medical observer who was completing a placement in the hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology unit from October 12 to 14, when the images and videos were shared on social media that included visible patient details.

“The information visible about you from our handover sheet included your name, your hospital record number, the ward and bed number, the name of the consultant, the presenting problem, medical history, investigations, and plan of management,” the letter stated.

“I recognise that learning of this incident may cause distress, embarrassment or concern about your privacy and your trust in our service… You should not have had to experience this, and we are deeply sorry.”

Dr Mogharehabed said in a statement to ABC that she could not verify how the images were shared or whether they came from her current account, noting that there may be other accounts using her name.

She said she did not intend to disclose any patient information and “takes patient privacy seriously”.

“I am sorry for the concern this situation has caused. At this stage, however, I cannot verify the origin or circumstances of the images,” she said.

RDH management designated her as a “medical observer,” meaning the doctor was not permitted to engage in any patient management.

Dr Mogharehabed told ABC that she had not undergone any particular training regarding “photography, video recording, or sharing content on social media.” She also said that during her placement, she was “not specifically informed that posting such content on social media was forbidden.”

Australian Medical Association NT Branch vice president Dr Dayna Duncan said that any breach of patient confidentiality is unacceptable.

“There are very clear laws and guidelines about patient privacy in Australia, including social media. All patients should expect that everyone in their treating team keeps their personal information confidential, with no exceptions,” she said.

Health Minister Steve Edgington said in a statement Monday that the social media post had been removed and all affected patients were given apologies and offers of “support”.

He also pledged to take action following a review.

“An immediate investigation was undertaken, including a review of the approval processes for medical observer placements. Where standards have fallen short, action will be taken,” he said.

“We are strengthening safeguards to ensure this does not happen again. More stringent background checks will be introduced for medical observers and others undertaking placements in NT Health hospitals. Placement agreements will be strengthened, requiring participants to sign non-disclosure agreements and legally binding confidentiality agreements.

“I will look at this review and see what further protections can be added to ensure it never happens again.”