Near miss data breach - DD’s NHS appointment letter.

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DD (8) was referred to a continence nurse around 7/8 months ago now as she’s still wet on a night.

Difficulty being that one of the continence nurses in the area is our next door neighbour (shes also my partner’s brother’s girlfriend) who has made our lives hell for the last couple of years. So much so they the police have been involved on numerous occasions and she’s been interviewed and cautioned. When I asked for DD to be referred, I explicitly asked that this person had nothing to do with her care.
We got a lovely nurse and DD has made great progress with her.

Said nurse always sends appointments letters, we’ve had numerous letters so far - they have always had the correct address on them.

The latest letter, however, has said neighbour’s address on. I’m so suspicious and really smell a rat. I’ve asked others opinions and they smell a rat too but I wanted the over all consensus from a bunch of anonymous people who will give it to me straight and perhaps won’t humour me and my anxious mind.

Its only because we had a new postie that the letter wasn’t delivered to their house.

I rang the appropriate department last week and asked which address they had on file for DD. They read out the correct address and even simulated a letter to see which address appeared and again, it was the correct one. Lady on the phone was very apologetic and has put a note on the system about the address.

My neighbour really, really has it in for us, without going into too much detail. I’m so paranoid that she’s somehow changed DD’s address on the system, sent the letter and then changed it back again. I just can’t understand how this letter has their address on it. Even the lady I spoke to was perplexed. I want it investigating but are these things traceable? Is it a waste of time?

You've got nothing to lose by reporting it. You don't have to accuse her of anything, just point out the strangeness of her address being on your letter

@Carroty8 this is exactly why I’ve been dubious about escalating, it could just be coincidence.

Report it to the guardian as a data breach OP. If it’s a software error at least you’ll know it wasn’t the work of that weirdo.

We have had neighbors stalking us in the past and one of the things they loved doing was messing with our post as a way to let us know they could still control our lives in a way. It was very intimidating and I can completely understand why you think this might not be a mistake. I would make a confidential complaint to the trust and see what comes up next. If she genuinely hasn’t done anything wrong it should come up in the system that keeps track of everyone that who looks up records

If you do what I suggested it will be handled discreetly. Any data breach discovered can be dealt with without involving you. The individual will be told it was a routine audit. If you start involving the NMC or the police you will create more problems for yourself because the person will know you have done this.

I work in the nhs and staff accessing records when they shouldn't I's a sackable offence. Go to the head of the department op xx

My reaction is that if she did this, she intended to give it to you (or drop in your letterbox) to let you know that she knows, and that she has access. Too much of a coincidence that this was the address, and I would think most people would ask this to be investigated. Even if the address wasn't her address I'd be asking how the letter had the wrong address, even if just to ensure I received letters correctly in the future.

As @CliffsofMohair - it's considered a serious matter so I personally doubt anyone would risk a disciplinary by logging in to look at anything that they didn't have a legitimate reason to - my entire family works in a variety of roles in the NHS - my daughters are hospital doctors for instance and they wouldn't look up my medical records or look for test results or notes (nor would I ask them to - not that they would agree anyway - and quite rightly) - same goes for 2 nurses, and the other hospital/pathology laboratory based medical practitioners - in my family - (this includes sisters/mothers/an aunt/in-laws/wife, etc) - it just isn't worth the risk and TBH - privacy is respected and expected on a professional level. I don't know what you think is going on but TBH I think your imagination has got the better of you. Put in a complaint by all means - ATM I'm finding complaints I've made are taking 6 months or more to be addressed.

It’s traceable. I’m NHS admin, we haven’t had any issues with our system but I’m in Scotland. These things are taken extremely seriously. Ask for it to be checked if anyone changed the address. You don’t have to name her specifically but you can also ask if she has accessed any of your records.

Easy one to deal with, put in a complaint to the hospital and your suspicions because anything that will have been done will be able to be traced.
As my cousins ex's sister found out when she used the hospital system to access her address and send a letter.
She lost her job over it.

Let’s say you are right and she is trying to make you miss appointments so she can use that as a basis for a credible ss complaint.

Sending the letter to herself and then changing the address back is really the only logical thing for her to do. She can’t use a made up address as the letter will eventually be returned to the hospital and the error might be noted and investigated. She can’t use a real but random address as they recipient might ring the hospital and advise they are getting a stranger’s private mail. I would ring if I got a hospital appointment letter not for me.

All she can safely do is change the address to hers, dispose of the letter and change the address back.

Still seems like a lot of risk for her but if she is unhinged, who knows?!

I find this odd, I'd imagine for behaviour like that she'd be suspended from the trust, at least temporarily.
Until
Last week I'd have said no I've would be so stupid, until I took a phone call from the Caldecott guardian about a member of our staff.

Even if the address wasn't her address I'd be asking how the letter had the wrong address

Agree with this. Taking out the fact you know your neighbour and that she’s not a pleasant person, it would be awful on its own that your address suddenly changed and a letter was sent out. I can’t imagine there are many scenarios where someone is manually typing in an address or even clicking from a drop down, it’ll generally be mail merge with system details. (The glitch PP deceives will likely only be affecting her trust; the NHS has so many different software systems.)

Might be just an error when sending out. I have had letters from adult social care addresses to someone else. They have obviously got that person mixed up with my daughter. They had the letters addressed to me regarding my daughter

We had someone else's passports delivered to ours. We live at number 2 they had missed a number off. Same street just different number.

Also as she lives in the same street as you she might have just automatically put her own address on instead of yours.

Can you just complain about the incorrectly addressed letter, with no need to mention your neighbour? If she had anything to do with it, they will find out. If not, hopefully they will just ensure that the error doesn't occur again.

It's still a breach even if there is simple human error. Definitely report it.

I don't really follow why social services would be solved for a missed appointment. That must happen all the time. The address is correct now so it would only be a one off not a consistent things. How would ss get involved?

Obviously theres no harm in reporting it to the hospital, they might find it"s some kind of admin post code mix up

In the longer term is there an optin for you to move house?

Are you in England? I ask because y sister had the same issue with my nephew and the GP wouldn't evensee him until he was 9, he's 20.now so I'm pleased to hear that the system is improved, she had a terrible time trying to get help

She would be pretty stupid to commit a sackable, traceable offence for the incredibly minor satisfaction of knowing you'd missed an appointment.

I think it's far more likely to be an error, especially in light of the pp saying that there have been addressing issues this week.

If your intention was to flag it up as a concern, you've already done that by calling them. You have added a note to your file so that it won't happen again. You can mention it again at your appointment if you are still worried. To me, an official complaint is overkill and an unnecessary burden on an overstretched service.

My instinct is that IF it is her (and I would also be very suspicious and concerned in your shoes) she was thinking that if she gets the letter sent to her house 'by mistake' she can then know about your daughter because of the letter not because she's been looking you up on the work computer.

but if the addresses are very different I'm not sure how it would ever have looked like a mistake. You do need to complain and get it looked into for sure.

The actual HOUSE NAME has been changed ! - definitely her

Report it to everyone and keep the letter with the 'address' on

And please come back and update this thread

I’d have suggested leaving well alone so as not to poke the bear that is your neighbour further. But even with all the possible theories floated on the thread about the system, the fact that it is not a digit but a house name that was swapped would leave me very suspicious. I agree with PPs who recommend speaking to the Caldicott Guardian who must investigate. If it was a genuine system error then their process will expose that, but if someone has been interfering with your DD’s record it most definitely will expose that too.

Please listen to @endofthelinefinally you haven't responded to them but theirs is the right path.

You need to report it, but in turn she must be worrying why she hasn’t got the letter yet.

I’d absolutely be mentioning this.

and also at next appointment I’d be mentioning it and asking if whoever you see can check the address they have for dd on their system. Explain why.

I wouldn’t be going in accusing anyone but just a simple “oh we noted the address was wrong on most recent letter can you find out why” sort of conversation.

ive had a text from my hospital reminding me of an appointment tomorrow. Which I know nothing about. So need to make sure that records are up to date for myself. I suspect they e put my number down for someone else.

It does seem very odd and you should definitely report it to PALS in the first instance or as suggested above the Caldicot Guardian.
But Ive worked in numerous trusts in both England and Scotland (Im a ward sister) and Im unable to change peoples addresses. Only certain members of staff are able to this this e.g ward clerks, out patient receptionists a and e receptionists etc.
Also as stated above of your neighbour has done this it is a sackable offence she would know this and must be deranged if she's happy to risk her job over this and the NMC would also be informed and her registration would be at risk. Lastly personally I would also be informing the NMC that she has been ed by the police (they may already know).