Sunday, March 07, 2010

If it wasn't so serious it'd be funny #NHS #FAIL

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/8554335.stm

The BBC report above shows the NHS in my County managed to breach Data Protection Guidelines. This came 2 days after I received my letter from the NHS saying they would put my medical details on the NHS Spine.

There were a few reasons I was annoyed to receive the letter:
1. I had already informed the NHS last year that, for reasons of trust (or distrust) in UK Government Data Security I did not want my medical details on a database open to potentially over a million NHS staff.
2. I was told in the letter I could opt out.
3. When I called the helpline I was told I had to download a form or get a copy from (place unknown) and fill it in and send off
4. When I pointed out I had already opted out, I was told that I would need confirmation from the NHS I had opted out - I questioned whether an email from the NHS domain confirming my opt out was confirmation...
5. After 3 iterations of 3 & 4 the telephone monkey gave up
6. I now have a registered complaint with the NHS team which will take 2-3 WEEKS to respond to.

I assert that if the NHS team handling the transfer of data to the Spine cannot even keep basic information about 'we are transfering you' confidential, then I am damn sure they won't be able to keep my medical records safe.

I reckon there is a secret Government lottery that the last person in the country to have some personal data lost by a government agency wins a prize. Obviously over 25m are already out thanks to HMRC, as are soldiers, prison officers, SAS members, police informers...

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