I work for the NHS and my confedentiality has been breached... need advice

Jillanddy

I'm a manager. A member of my staff is off sick. I told all her colleagues she's off sick.  Because she's off sick,  we need to cover her role,  and because I haven't secretly sacked her or anything else. That doesn't breach her confidentiality.  It's called planning.  

Of course, if I was to tell everyone that she's signed herself off with stress because I've started capability processes beefier she's lazy and incompetent,  now that would be a breach of confidentiality.  So I didn't tell them that. 

I appreciate you are having a horrible time,  and I'm sorry that you are struggling with the death of a loved one. But you are being paranoid if people who see you aren't allowed to ask how you are.  And I'm not saying that to be nasty. But if that's how you feel,  I really think you need to speak to the doctor again. I say that as someone who's suffered from stress.  When you can't see genuine consideration or care as what it is,  then help is needed. 

theoretica

Also - presumably your child knows about the bereavement?  And may well have told other children at the school? There is another likely route for information here.

KiKi

You say this could be a "lucky guess" - but he didn't guess anything.  He simply asked how you were.

Anyone who's not at work for 7 weeks will be noticed as absent.  He politely enquired after you, to your face.  You're seeing things that aren't there, and I agree with others, your response suggests you may need to see a doctor as perhaps you're not coping.

Also, don't forget that you clearly have other links to each other if your kids go to the same school; it's very possible he may have heard something from another route if, indeed, he knows anything at all.  And I'm not convinced he does.

[Deleted User]

The nhs sounds a lovely place to work... HR can’t even read out of office messages from someone on clear maternity leave...

Don’t worry they forced me today to start a convo with a previous employer who furloughed me, I’m sure everyone on here would want to say the Employer just made an ‘innocent’ mistake, but well now cat certainly held their tongue. No answers for me yet. All the grief for what a one year fixed term contract where I hadn’t any clue this isn’t yet another Employer avaiding paying a pension. Under that’s ok.

That’s the mighty NHS for you.

[Deleted User]

Deleted User said:

Don‚Äôt worry they forced me today to start a convo with a previous employer who furloughed me, I‚Äôm sure everyone on here would want to say the Employer just made an ‚Äòinnocent‚Äô mistake, but well now cat certainly held their tongue. No answers for me yet. 

What does any of that mean?

Jillanddy

Deleted User said:

The nhs sounds a lovely place to work... HR can’t even read out of office messages from someone on clear maternity leave...

Don’t worry they forced me today to start a convo with a previous employer who furloughed me, I’m sure everyone on here would want to say the Employer just made an ‘innocent’ mistake, but well now cat certainly held their tongue. No answers for me yet. All the grief for what a one year fixed term contract where I hadn’t any clue this isn’t yet another Employer avaiding paying a pension. Under that’s ok.

That’s the mighty NHS for you.

What?

The employer,  based on the information given,  did absolutely nothing.  

And nothing else you've said makes any sense at all. If you don't want the job,  do the NHS a favour and don't take it.  But don't make ridiculous allegations about trying to avoid pension payments. The NHS has its own pension scheme and its a very good one.  

Marcon

dan2312 said:

Hi, im currently off work with stress and bereavement,  on my 7th week off

Now this could be nothing and a lucky guess from a collegue, (this person is renound for spending lot of time with managers.)

but as i was collecting my child from school today, he was also collecting his children from the same school, i was waiting outside school gate and he passed by with quick pleasantries etc, then he asked "how am i feeling?" i just said "no better."

Now, no one knows why i am off sick in work bar the managers, i have handed in my sick note to management in an envelope away from prying eyes. 

Ive never said anything on facebook, not been on since i have been off, i don't have an account on twitter, instagram etc.

So someone has told him why i am off, i believe. do i mention it to the managers? what do i do?

What makes you think he knows?

Sounds a wholly routine pleasantry which you've mistaken for something bad. It really isn't. Read your own post again and you might feel reassured by your own words.

Undervalued

dan2312 said:

Hi, im currently off work with stress and bereavement,  on my 7th week off

Now this could be nothing and a lucky guess from a collegue, (this person is renound for spending lot of time with managers.)

but as i was collecting my child from school today, he was also collecting his children from the same school, i was waiting outside school gate and he passed by with quick pleasantries etc, then he asked "how am i feeling?" i just said "no better."

Now, no one knows why i am off sick in work bar the managers, i have handed in my sick note to management in an envelope away from prying eyes. 

Ive never said anything on facebook, not been on since i have been off, i don't have an account on twitter, instagram etc.

So someone has told him why i am off, i believe. do i mention it to the managers? what do i do?

Unless there is something significant you have missed out from your post then I think that is exactly what it is.

If you knew a colleague had not been at work for seven weeks and you met them at the school gates, what would you think and do?

Nobody takes seven consecutive weeks holiday so either they have been off sick, suspended or have left the job and nobody has told you!

There is nothing wrong in the workplace with management telling the staff that XXX is off sick. If they know at the beginning that it is likely to be some time before they are back then it is quite appropriate to say so in order to plan for how their absence will be covered.

Obviously no medical details should be divulged unless there is a genuine reason to do so, perhaps for making adjustments for their return or if health and safety issues are involved. If necessary this should be on a strictly "need to know basis".

That said, a seven week absence would normally suggest either a serious physical illness or, more commonly, the type of issue that has kept you off work. 

Inevitably there will be a mixture of idle curiosity and genuine concern. That is normal and unavoidable.

To answer your question - "What do I do". Nothing at all apart from concentrating on getting better and maybe consider / discuss with your doctor and employer a possible phased return to work.

TELLIT01

In an office environment the first question asked if somebody isn't in the office is "Where's xyz today?"  As a manager I would have said they weren't well or on leave, but certainly wouldn't give any details beyond 'they aren't well'.  As a work colleague, if I bumped into somebody I hadn't seen for several weeks my first question would be the standard "Hi, how are you?"

oh_really

You've a long, long way to go if you believe there's confidentiality among staff. It's a cauldron of gossip.