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Data drama: Interior ministers are pushing for better protection for the mentally ill
Schleswig-Holstein: Conference of Interior Ministers discusses data protection and networking to improve the safety of mentally ill people.
Data drama: Interior ministers are pushing for better protection for the mentally ill
The Interior Ministers' Conference in Bremerhaven on June 14, 2025 brought the importance of explosive issues such as data protection and medical confidentiality onto the agenda. Among the participants were high-ranking politicians such as Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), Thomas Strobl (CDU, Baden-Württemberg), Sabine Sütterlin-Waack (CDU, Schleswig-Holstein) and Joachim Herrmann (CSU, Bavaria). The latter commented on the results of this conference in an interview with NDR and emphasized the need to better pass on sensitive information about people with mental illnesses.
In the current discussion, the topics of data protection and medical confidentiality are becoming increasingly important. German hospitals are facing major challenges here, particularly with regard to the implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These regulations are becoming more and more important, as the German Hospital Association (DKG) also emphasizes. It not only offers support through templates and sample formulations, but also closely supports the implementation of these laws. As dkgev.de reports, protecting medical confidentiality is essential for the relationship of trust between doctor and patient.
Urgent need to connect
Another central point of this year's conference is the recent incidents in which mentally ill people have become perpetrators. Sabine Sütterlin-Waack emphasizes that it is not just about the legal framework, but also about involving experts more closely in this discussion. It is clear that many deadly attacks in the past have forced a rethink. Lower Saxony is therefore planning, as reported in Deutschlandfunk, to present a draft law by the end of the year that is aimed at better networking between the authorities.
According to experts, the challenges for healthcare are already great. Hospitals process highly sensitive patient data and at the same time have to take into account the strict regulations of the GDPR. This also includes respectful treatment of medical confidentiality, which is regulated in Section 203 of the Criminal Code (StGB). This regulation has undergone far-reaching changes since the end of 2017 that have affected practice.
Given the high level of responsibility that institutions bear, it is important to find a way to securely transmit information that could potentially contribute to averting threats, without violating the rights of those affected. Ultimately, the careful handling of data also contributes to the security of society.