NHS wouldn't have gave my address to bounty would they?

[anothermrssmith]

Daughter was born 2 months ago at crosshouse hospital, NHS Ayrshire and Arran. I had no intention of giving my details to bounty rep but when the rep came round my daughter was just getting taken for her check up so she said she would come back later for my details and left the pack. I deliberately didn't open pack incase there was an issue with me not passing details on but she never came back to get my address so no issue. Or so I thought.

Last month I got a voucher from pampers through the post, i jjoined amazon family after baby was born so thought it may have been connected to that. However, today I recieved a letter from a local photographer about something called 'cherub club' which apparently is run in conjunction with bounty. So far haven't been able to get through to photographer to find out how he got my details but looks like its been passed on from bounty.

As I say,the rep never came back for my address so that leaves me to believe that she either had access to that info herself, or a member of staff passed it on,either way its a clear breach of confidentiality. Before I raise hell with the hospital, who were fantastic in every way, can anyone think of anything I might have joined but forgotten about that may explain how my details have distributed.

[onadifferentplanet]

I have had letters like this from local photographers when friends have used them and got discount for recommending other people,could it be that ?

[anothermrssmith]

Doubt it as my husband is a professional photographer,as our a number of our friends. But even the ones with kids who aren't photographers don't live locally so wouldn't use this guy, who only has one studio which is a few miles away

[anothermrssmith]

Have managed to speak to photograph who confirmed they got my details through bounty. Will dig Into amazon a bit more and confirm if they do/don't sell details on but looking more like they've came from hospital - I'm incredibly careful about giving out my details so there's not really anywhere else it could have come from :(

[miniHovis]

I received a letter from baby bond after my first appt at the mw, I hadn't joined any clubs ect only place they could have got my details was ayrshire and Arran nhs! So chances are that yes they seem to be passing our details on

[TheBookofRuth]

I did hear (on mumsnet) about Bounty taking someone's detail straight from their chart without asking, could that have happened?

[surromummy]

^^I second whats been said above, there have been cases where the bounty reps have lifted peoples addresses off their maternity file. Truly disgusting on their part. I very much doubt the mws would have given out your address.

[anothermrssmith]

Thanks ladies,must say I find it hard to believe that a member of staff would have given this info on,much more likely that it was taken from a file. While I won't formally complain I think I'll write to the chief of NHS Ayrshire and Arran and let them know my suspicions. The only thing at my bedside was the chart for writing your blood pressure,temp etc and I can't remember if that had my address or not but best case scenario the rep got it there or my handheld notes which were in a plastic folder IN the bedside cabinet or she has been able to access confidential information somehow. Either way it should be investigated, even when I used vouchers from the pack the midwife gives you at booking appointment I filled in the details with a fake name,fake address and fake town!

[anothermrssmith]

Just had a phone call from the head of maternity services at NHS Ayrshire and Arran and thougt I would update. Apparently they've never had complaints about bounty before (though I know people who have had issues with them,my SIL who was bullied into giving her details and having the shortest photo of her son taken while recovering from a major hemorage for a start) but they have spoken to the rep on duty that day along with the regional and national managers. Bounty sent a copy of the form 'I' completed to the maternity services manager who asked me to confirm some details on it. From her reaction to the answers I was giving her they weren't matching what was on the form so something has gone on.

When I first made contact I said I wasn't complaining but wanted to make them aware, she's thanked me for letting them know and said they're keeping this on file as she is concerned about it so of they get any other complaints about bounty they have evidence of it happening previously.

I suppose its a case of my word against theirs so there's only so much they can do but I'm happy with the response I've had, just wish more people who had issues with bounty would complain!

[anothermrssmith]

That should say shittest photo, bloody autocorrect

[tribpot]

So the hospital has a security breach. Whether that's a member of staff passing info on (unlikely) or insufficient care being taken to keep confidential information away from people are not involved in your care (which is why Bounty should not be on the ward in the first place).

Personally I would want to ensure that the organisation's Caldicott Guardian was aware. This is a senior person with responsibility for confidentiality and information governance. For NHS Ayrshire this is the Assistant Director for Healthcare Quality, Governance and Standards, Professor Craig White (according to this and this. It's not clear that the head of maternity services has notified him of the issue, in which case it won't do any harm to make sure the matter was reviewed by him.

I would then contact Bounty and ask them to remove you from their customer database, and consider whether you were added against your wishes.

[theborrower]

Just wanted to say good on you for bringing this up with the hospital. The whole Bounty thing pisses me off.

Yes, I did sign up to Bounty when I was pregnant because i was naive back then - didn't realise what I was really signing up to (and me being a marketer, as well!). Since being bombarded with crap junk mail for the last few years, and not having it cancelled when I posted it back saying "remove me from your mailing list", i finally went on to the Bounty website to try and get taken off. The only way I could see how to unsubscribe was to contact their 'miscarriage and bereavement' email address which promised to delete you from their database and contact all companies on your behalf. So I did (I only said "here's my details, remove me") and I got an email back very quickly. And lo and behold, no more junk mail since.

[tribpot]

As far as I'm aware, people don't go around harvesting personal information off the bed allocation boards in other inpatient wards, why is it okay to do this in maternity?