The recent shutdown of the CCTV monitoring system in Albury hospital's Nolan House mental health facility, under orders of Victoria's chief psychiatrist on privacy grounds, is a clear example.

Privacy is a valid criteria to apply. If you're inside your own home, you are entitled under the law to be legally protected from outside intrusion.

The same applies, for example, to the privacy safeguards in place with respect to our medical records.

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The decision to turn off the Nolan House CCTV is based on the same principle; that if you are a patient, you have a right to undergo treatment with only your treating doctor or other health professionals knowing what is taking place.

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In theory, that is fine. But in practice it's not always workable, nor is it necessarily in the patient's best interest.

An assessment of a mental illness, whether that be episodic or ongoing, means the capacity of rationale thought in your own and others' interests is lost.

There is always the potential for something unexpected to happen.

And when that involves aggressive behaviour or violence, there does need to be a monitoring system that allows potentially dangerous situations to be assessed and then addressed as early as possible.

That is for both the patient, who shouldn't be placed in the situation of unwittingly committing such an act, and whoever is assisting them with their needs.

Albury's legal fraternity has now raised what it says is the greatly increased risks created for its members. This is, they say, a workplace health and safety issue.

Lawyers regularly meet clients at Nolan House, but if their safety is now compromised they cannot do their job and their clients cannot be afforded the democratic right of legal representation.

Patient privacy is a balancing act, but one that has tipped too far in the wrong direction - for all parties.