THE government has apologised after letters to more than 100 Islanders were sent in envelopes which could have revealed that the recipient had received mental-health care.
The letters, distributed last month, contained a survey seeking feedback in relation to the patients’ experiences.
However, the envelopes were mistakenly labelled with details indicating they were from the Island’s mental-health services.
This meant that anyone who saw the envelope could infer that the recipient had received care.
The government has blamed the labelling issue on an “accidental error” by a junior member of staff.
In a statement, Mental Health and Adult Social Care director Andy Weir (pictured) explained: “The label – which indicates an association with mental-health services, without giving specific details – was attached as a result of a legitimate, accidental error by a junior member of our staff.
“The error has been discussed with the colleague in question. They were upset and very apologetic in relation to the error, and we are satisfied that this will not happen again. An apology letter explaining this has been sent to all recipients.”
One of the 103 recipients told the JEP he was “shocked” when he received the envelope.
“Fortunately, with my current living situation, those I reside with are privy to my personal struggle and the fact I have been an inpatient within the Jersey mental-health service,” he said.
“But I couldn’t help but think about those who would rather keep that information private. If a flatmate had received the letter and glanced at the envelope, they would know an individual’s situation that they might have wanted to remain private.”
Addressing Mr Weir’s statement, he continued: “To learn that subsequently the JEP was informed that the blame was placed on an error from a junior member of staff was just as shocking. Jersey’s mental-health service should be taking ownership of their mistake, rather than shifting blame onto a junior member of staff.”
He added that, ultimately, the burden should fall on “those in charge”.
When asked whether a data breach had occurred, a spokesperson for the Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner, the Island’s data protection regulator, said: “With the processing of personal information, often in high volumes, becoming such an integral and critical element of daily working life, we welcome Islanders becoming more aware about the importance of protecting people’s personal information, especially when it is of a sensitive nature, given the harm and prejudice that can be caused when errors, whether in systems or human, occur when handling personal information.”
They added: “We urge all Islanders, whenever they are processing people’s personal information, to protect it in accordance with the key principles of the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018 which include doing so fairly, accurately, transparently and in a manner that ensures appropriate security, accuracy and confidentiality.”
