NSW patient record bungle outrages AMA

NSW doctors have called for better investment in IT and back-end hospital services after hundreds of patient records were found dumped in a bin in Sydney.

More than 1000 documents, in which 768 patients from Royal North Shore Hospital, Gosford Hospital and Cancer Centre, and Dubbo Hospital Cancer Centre were named, were found earlier this month in a bin outside an apartment block in Ashfield.

The government has said they were discarded by a sub-contractor of medical communications company Global Transcription Service.

Australian Medical Association (NSW) president Professor Brad Frankum said the "very concerning" incident showed the importance of adequate resourcing.

"(It) underscores the absolute necessity to invest in back of hospital services, including administration, engineering, maintenance, and safety services," he said in a statement on Saturday.

He said it was "even more alarming" that the actions of one person ultimately compromised patient care, and the matter highlighted the need for urgent IT investment.

"There is no reason in 2017 for NSW hospitals to be using outdated paper communication."

Prof Frankum called on the state and federal governments to commit to long-term certainty for hospital funding, and said the health department was "stretched" and "in difficult financial circumstances".

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant on Friday apologised for the "unacceptable" bungle.

Oncologists from Dubbo Hospital Cancer Centre have contacted eight patients to "bring forward some visits and also to facilitate some referrals", she said.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard has ordered an independent review by KPMG of the transcription services used by public health facilities in the state's 15 different health districts.