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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I think I've fucked up at work.

110 replies

RainbowBriteUk · 02/10/2021 16:30

I work in healthcare and my job involves taking with clients a lot.

Today I rang someone, said I was calling from organisation name and asked to speak to (clients name). I thought it was the client who I've spoke to a few times but it wasn't, the person who answered (landline) said he was out. Because I said the organisation name I've fucked up, haven't I? We cater people who have a few conditions and the person who answered might not know client has these conditions. Our org name doesn't include anything to do with the conditions but all it would take would be a quick Google of our org name. Fuck fuck fuck!

OP posts:
LordEmsworth · 02/10/2021 19:32

I actually don't think you have fucked up at all. You didn't say "it's Rainbow from the STD clinic, can you tell my client Steve that his test results are ready". You didn't say why you were calling or state that your client is a client - so while the person might assume, it's deniable.

Have you had training, and/or is there any procedure for you to follow? Because they would find it really difficult to follow any sort of disciplinary procedure if they've never actually told you how to introduce yourself before identifying the person at the other end. As PP have said - if someone asks you who's calling, you can't exactly say "I'm not allowed to tell you" or "sorry but that's a secret", you have to say something!

BoredZelda · 02/10/2021 19:46

Absolutely not. The responsibility for confidentiality lies with the organisation, not the patient.
Some people do not have a phone number that is not shared with others.
Organisations are responsible for ensuring that they are talking to the patient directly before sharing any sensitive information.

She didn’t share sensitive information. Every single healthcare place I’ve had calls from who have left messages have said “it’s xxx from xxx”

MarchXX · 02/10/2021 19:55

@TheTurn0fTheScrew

this is one of those organisational policies that doesn't really work in real life. the organisation I work for has something similar, and we are not supposed to leave voicemail messages or say where we're calling from. Problem is, as anyone who reads MN knows, most people call screen numbers that they don't recognise, and don't call back voicemails that say "it's Jane Smith , please call" if no further details are given. So in reality my colleagues and I do sometimes leave a little more information, depending on how many times we've tried and how urgent things are.
This. I am very wary about numbers I don't recognise that call me and usually delete and block straight away. If a voicemail was left and was vague, I'd delete and block. People who know me know to text only.
Livpool · 02/10/2021 20:05

Who would Google the organisation?! I am a nosy cow and it wouldn't even occur to me!

ilovesooty · 02/10/2021 20:08

If it's anything like the organisation I worked for most local people would know it.

HarlanPepper · 02/10/2021 20:08

If it's a healthcare setting it could be a breach of confidentiality and really if I were in this situation (having fucked up myself once or twice with data protection issues) I would report to my line manager. Everyone makes mistakes, you won't be disciplined, but how you handle it afterwards matters more than the mistake itself, in this situation.

ilovesooty · 02/10/2021 20:09

@HarlanPepper

If it's a healthcare setting it could be a breach of confidentiality and really if I were in this situation (having fucked up myself once or twice with data protection issues) I would report to my line manager. Everyone makes mistakes, you won't be disciplined, but how you handle it afterwards matters more than the mistake itself, in this situation.
I agree.
GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 02/10/2021 20:10

When I was pregnant with my dd, I took part in a government follow up to the census. By coincidence an ex colleague of mine was doing it too and the guy conducting the survey realised we must have known each other (recent redundancy from a shop chain that went bust) and told her I was pregnant, assuming she knew. I was quite far along but we hadn't told anyone! The ex colleague passed on her congratulations to a family member of DHs and it caused such a mess.

I never reported it as it obviously wasn't done out of malice but it was so frustrating that he didn't keep our privacy.

rslsys · 02/10/2021 20:23

I've had a lot of interaction with medical services in the last year. Until recently the hospital's main switchboard number would come up on my phone when they called. This has now stopped and the caller is shown as 'number withheld'. I have to treat these calls with circumspection along with all the other dodgy calls from withheld numbers.
The calls now proceed in the following way.
I answer the phone and say nothing. Caller goes 'Hello?'.
I answer 'Hello'.
Caller than asks 'Is that rslsys?'.
I respond 'Depends who is asking?'
Without fail they respond with 'This is the bowel/gastroscopy/colonoscopy nurse from the XXX hospital'.

I than admit that it's me and we go through the date of birth and first line of the address ritual and the conversation proceeds.

The point is that they have revealed who that are without having definitely identified who I am.
Don't beat yourself up OP.

AnyOldPrion · 02/10/2021 20:25

Are you some kind of charity? The person might have assumed you were cold-calling, if so.

bbd72 · 02/10/2021 20:45

@RainbowBriteUk definitely not a sackable offence.

When I was 19 and still living at home with my parents, I got a phone call (before we all had mobiles) when I was out at work, mum was a housewife so obviously was usually in to answer the phone. Only problem was it was a midwife calling to confirm my booking in appointment and could my mam pass on the message that she was looking forward to meeting meConfused I had some explaining to do when I got home from work that night but I would never of dreamt of making a formal complaint

ShellieEllie · 02/10/2021 20:46

I think you're overthinking this. I highly doubt there will be any comeback. Use it as a learning experience going forward.

Lougle · 02/10/2021 21:02

Everyone makes mistakes. Honestly they do. I can think of about 4 (big) mistakes I've made just reading this thread, and I haven't even had to think hard. Some of those mistakes are over 15 years ago, but I still remember them like it was yesterday and my blood still runs a bit cold when I think of them.

You're conscientious, you've learned something. Do tell your line manager so that you are showing that you are responsible. It will go in your favour. Also, you'll carry it with you if you don't.

KILNAMATRA · 02/10/2021 22:02

Oh take heart , we’ve all said or done the wrong thing sometime. I heard of a poor nurse who asked A fella, if he wanted his AZT, effectively and accidentally telling the ward he had HIV..

KILNAMATRA · 02/10/2021 22:03

Fess up and write the incident form..

blueskytoday06 · 02/10/2021 22:08

It's a GDPR breach. Not sackable. You'll need DJ report and feel like crap for a whole. You'll be ok.
I data breached too recently. I haven't done it again since.

blueskytoday06 · 02/10/2021 22:09

*to
**while

Seesawmummadaw · 02/10/2021 22:26

Definitely don’t keep it to yourself.
In my job we just say ‘could I speak to x, its x’ if they aren’t in I just say I’ll call later.

Original poster
RainbowBriteUk · 02/10/2021 22:38

Thanks all for your replies. I feel less anxious. I was shattered from a busy week when I made the phonecall. Lesson learnt.

I will speak to my lovely manager next week.

OP posts:
BakewellTarter · 02/10/2021 23:18

This would be a possible disciplinary for me. I would report it to my manager as a data breach - my organisation look more favourably if you tell them yourself rather than finding out from a client. Obviously organisations vary.

DerAlteMann · 02/10/2021 23:32

Hold on. If there's a website saying what field your organisation works in, then it's surely not THAT confidential?

BakewellTarter · 02/10/2021 23:38

The point it you don't say where you are calling from so the website can't be found or any links made.

ilovesooty · 02/10/2021 23:43

@RainbowBriteUk

Thanks all for your replies. I feel less anxious. I was shattered from a busy week when I made the phonecall. Lesson learnt.

I will speak to my lovely manager next week.

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better, and I hope your manager is supportive.
RevolvingPivot · 02/10/2021 23:58

@DerAlteMann

Hold on. If there's a website saying what field your organisation works in, then it's surely not THAT confidential?
The website isn't confidential.

The fact that the op phoned a Client / Customer/ Patient's home phone number and said where she was calling from to the house sitter was.

UnicornBeach · 03/10/2021 00:11

Given it was a mistake and you have identified that yourself I would say any action taken would be harsh. If they did complain i would expect that your line manager would be involved, apologise and that you would chat with the manager about it. I work in a similar setting, I often phone people who don’t know me, it can be hard when phoning a land line and it’s always someone else who answers. I feel if I don’t give some info they won’t call back. I do tell them my organisation but it could be any department.. mind you if the person who answered called back they would find out which department it is when admin answer Confused overthinking it myself now.
Don’t worry we’ve all done worse lol x