Royal Mail staff given access to confidential medical detail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 18203.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Benefits application forms are routinely opened and sorted by postal workers


Confidential medical information from sick and disabled people applying for welfare benefits is opened and sorted by Royal Mail staff on behalf of the Government without the claimant's knowledge or consent, The Independent can reveal.


Medical experts reacted angrily to the potential for breaches in confidentiality after it emerged that the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) routinely uses Royal Mail to process the thousands of benefits claims, including health data, it receives every day.

The revelations have prompted fresh concerns about the fact that the handling of sensitive personal information can be legally outsourced without the subject's consent.

For example, people applying for sickness benefits such as employment support allowance (ESA) must first complete a detailed medical questionnaire explaining their conditions, prescribed medication and therapies, and the names and addresses of their doctors and nurses.

The form, which also includes highly sensitive questions about addictions and mental illness, is then posted in a pre-addressed envelope to the DWP or Atos Healthcare – the Paralympics sponsor paid by the Government to carry out controversial assessments of claimants' capacity to work.

However, it has emerged that these envelopes are routinely opened and the contents sorted by the Royal Mail, unless the envelope is specifically marked "private and confidential". In those cases they are sent to Atos unopened, according to the DWP.

The information came to light after Lynne Neagle, a Welsh Assembly member, was asked to investigate by a constituent who was told by a local post office not to bother sending ESA forms by special delivery as the envelope would be opened by Royal Mail regardless.

Former RAF man John Williams, 50, from Pontypool in south Wales, received incapacity benefit (the precursor to ESA) for 10 years, because he was unable to work as a result of arthritis and post-traumatic stress disorder. He was recently declared fit for work – which means that his benefit will stop after 12 months whether he has a job or not – and was posting his appeal documents when told about Royal Mail's role. "Nowhere in any of the paperwork does it say that a third party is involved," he said. "People are sending very personal information and have a right to know this is happening; I feel like I've been misled."

Ms Neagle said: "These claimants often have incredibly complex case histories – they may have mental health problems or be victims of sexual abuse – I imagine they'd find it incredibly unsettling to know that such deeply personal information was being treated like this.

"While I have no reason to doubt the absolute integrity of the Royal Mail staff involved, that's not the point – they simply should not have access to this kind of information."

The DWP said security measures were in place to minimise the risk of any data breaches, including CCTV in sorting rooms and procedures that mean at least two people open the mail together.

"We are a large organisation that handles all kinds of sensitive information. We use Royal Mail to sort and direct our mail to the appropriate processing centre," a spokesman said. "We hold the contract and ensure they abide by the same data protection and security checks as any DWP employee."

Dr Tony Calland, chair of the British Medical Association ethics committee, said the security was irrelevant: "We are very concerned that a government department could even contemplate allowing such sensitive and confidential medical data to be handled by a third party without the person's consent."

An Atos Healthcare spokeswoman said: "We're subject to the postal arrangements set by the DWP. Once we receive information we strictly comply with all of the Government's confidentiality and data security regulations. Where the envelope is addressed directly to Atos Healthcare it is opened by our staff."

[S6 Stroller]

So this is true then? Bizarre.

[Lounge Lizard]

Must be a quiet news day bringing this up again
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... al#p430322" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... al#p443743" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stormproof]

Must be a quiet news day bringing this up again

Exactly what I was thinking. MOU's have been going for years.

[TeeferTiger]

I was about to say this is old news?

[Lounge Lizard]

And most people I know keep going on and on about all the ailments, illnesses and operations they've had, so why all the need now for 'confidentiality' ?

[MGB]

To be honest I don't think it's a big deal. Why should a Royal Mail employee care more about your personal information than a DWP employee? It doesn't really make a lot of difference who opens it, as long as they have the same role (open and sort mail).

[P13]

To be honest I don't think it's a big deal. Why should a Royal Mail employee care more about your personal information than a DWP employee? It doesn't really make a lot of difference who opens it, as long as they have the same role (open and sort mail).

You are right and I believe both Royal Mail employees and DWP employees have to sign the official secrets act

[TrueBlueTerrier]

An FOI has been made because of this article

Dear Royal Mail Group Limited,

The press has recently revealed that Royal Mail is opening mail on
behalf of the DWP. Under the Freedom of Information Act, please
give me a list of all government departments on whose behalf you
open mail, and what kind(s) of mail are opened.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

I'll post up any response if I see it.

[TeeferTiger]

As a person who has probably has mail opened on behalf of the DWP, I can honestly say it really doesn't bother me. I don't know these people, I don't know the DWP people either. As long as my letter ends up being dealt with, I don't care who knows about my ailments. It's not as if it's my postie opening the mail before forwarding it on, it's done by a load of people in a secure environment, many miles away. If, by chance, it did happen to be opened by a local person, they're not allowed to speak about it anyway, could lose their job if they do, and let's face it- if you're opening hundreds of letters a day, are you really going to care what's in them? Like you'll even have TIME to read all the "juicy" stuff?!

[pinstripe]

An FOI has been made because of this article

Dear Royal Mail Group Limited,

The press has recently revealed that Royal Mail is opening mail on
behalf of the DWP. Under the Freedom of Information Act, please
give me a list of all government departments on whose behalf you
open mail, and what kind(s) of mail are opened.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

I'll post up any response if I see it.

I know we open mail on behalf of the Child Support Agency. We have a section in our office that does it.

[Bees knees]

I have worked for both RM and DWP. I am shocked to hear that Royal Mail Staff are opening this sensitive mail. I bet Joe Bloggs would be too. Why can't they employ more DWP staff? As usual they are out sourcing the work. Bet RM staff would not like sorting of Dwp mail to be out sourced. This is giving staff access to all sorts of personal info including NI numbers. As well as everything else. This information can be sold on. It's all wrong. How would RM staff like us going through their private mail, bank statements, etc. bet not. DWP staff are on pay freeze last few years and many offices closing but more and more work done by them is being shifted to elsewhere. Privatization is looming for us all. As for Official Secrets Act - try telling that to them Friday night down the pub!! ID fraud is rife in our country at the minute. So,why not get the posties to open the DWP mail!

[Stormproof]

Bet RM staff would not like sorting of Dwp mail to be out sourced.

It is, its called DSA..... we are the mugs that deliver it for a loss

[fishtank]

I have worked for both RM and DWP. I am shocked to hear that Royal Mail Staff are opening this sensitive mail. I bet Joe Bloggs would be too. Why can't they employ more DWP staff? As usual they are out sourcing the work. Bet RM staff would not like sorting of Dwp mail to be out sourced. This is giving staff access to all sorts of personal info including NI numbers. As well as everything else. This information can be sold on. It's all wrong. How would RM staff like us going through their private mail, bank statements, etc. bet not. DWP staff are on pay freeze last few years and many offices closing but more and more work done by them is being shifted to elsewhere. Privatization is looming for us all. As for Official Secrets Act - try telling that to them Friday night down the pub!! ID fraud is rife in our country at the minute. So,why not get the posties to open the DWP mail!

Let's look at the reality rather than the Daily Mail hype.
DWP mail is opened and segregated in a secure,locked room under constant CCTV surveillance.
Even management do not have access to this room.
It is only done by experienced staff with years of trust behind them,it is a sought after job because it beats working for a living so only the most senior get it.
These are the conditions of the contract.

Let's look at the alternative.
Who in the DWP do you think would be allocated the dull-arsed job of opening envelopes and segregating mail?
The senior benefits assessor on £30-40k or the 18 year old work experience guy?
Does your local DWP office even have a secure room?

We handle hundreds of thousands,probably millions of DWP letters in the normal course of our sorting and delivery work.
Why would we wait until we were watched and recorded from every conceivable angle to suddenly take an interest in your NI number?

[TeeferTiger]

I have worked for both RM and DWP. I am shocked to hear that Royal Mail Staff are opening this sensitive mail. I bet Joe Bloggs would be too. Why can't they employ more DWP staff? As usual they are out sourcing the work. Bet RM staff would not like sorting of Dwp mail to be out sourced. This is giving staff access to all sorts of personal info including NI numbers. As well as everything else. This information can be sold on. It's all wrong. How would RM staff like us going through their private mail, bank statements, etc. bet not. DWP staff are on pay freeze last few years and many offices closing but more and more work done by them is being shifted to elsewhere. Privatization is looming for us all. As for Official Secrets Act - try telling that to them Friday night down the pub!! ID fraud is rife in our country at the minute. So,why not get the posties to open the DWP mail!

Let's look at the reality rather than the Daily Mail hype.
DWP mail is opened and segregated in a secure,locked room under constant CCTV surveillance.
Even management do not have access to this room.
It is only done by experienced staff with years of trust behind them,it is a sought after job because it beats working for a living so only the most senior get it.
These are the conditions of the contract.

Let's look at the alternative.
Who in the DWP do you think would be allocated the dull-arsed job of opening envelopes and segregating mail?
The senior benefits assessor on £30-40k or the 18 year old work experience guy?
Does your local DWP office even have a secure room?

We handle hundreds of thousands,probably millions of DWP letters in the normal course of our sorting and delivery work.
Why would we wait until we were watched and recorded from every conceivable angle to suddenly take an interest in your NI number?