Brighton surgery campaigners shocked at data breach

The group from PSHE Brighton submitted questions and background material to the board about a National Health Service (NHS) investigation into the WellBN doctors’ surgery, in Western Road, Hove.

In papers published before the meeting, which took place on Tuesday 28 July, the council included not just the name of the speaker and five supporters but their full addresses too.

The meeting papers usually include just the names of the speaker and supporters.

After the papers were published on Friday 24 July, the group and supporters contacted senior council officers, the chief executive and leader councillor Bella Sankey and the council’s out-of-hours emergency arrangements, before the document was removed 20 hours after publication.

One of the campaigners, who asked not to be identified after receiving threats, said: “For years the council has assured residents that supporter addresses for deputations would never be published. We relied on that assurance when asking people to sign.

“This wasn’t just a technical mistake. It left women living alone feeling frightened in a city where campaigners on this issue have been subjected to intimidation.”

They were not alone in sharing their concerns, with another member of the campaign group saying that they were installing a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system at their home after receiving threats.

Another supporter, who asked not to be identified, asked the board’s chair to read out the questions and supporting material on behalf of the deputation because supporters were concerned about being identified.

In an email to the council, they said: “This is the very least you can do to do damage limitation regarding the risks your data breach has exposed him to.

“In the immediate aftermath of Ann Widdecombe’s murder, I don’t need to tell you how important privacy is as we raise political issues.”

The deputation asked whether the council had considered whether any lessons arose for its own safeguarding arrangements after the WellBN investigation.

NHS Sussex found that children as young as 11 had been treated with hormone-blockers or cross-gender hormones and were not properly told about the potentially harmful effects on their fertility.

A report said that some families had been advised to avoid contact with social services in case questions were asked about gender medication.

The investigation led to a Hove GP (general practitioner) being suspended from working as doctor.

PSHE Brighton also asked whether a review had been undertaken and if not, whether the board would commission one.

The deputation said: “This is not a request to revisit political debates. It is a request to demonstrate the principles that underpin effective safeguarding: curiosity, transparency, partnership working and organisational learning.

“Public confidence is strengthened not when institutions insist that failures happened elsewhere but when they show they are prepared to ask whether those failures reveal lessons for themselves.”

Labour councillor Paul Nann, who chairs the council’s Health and Wellbeing Board, said that the council was aware of the shortcomings found in the investigation.

But, he said, the council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was the “correct forum” at which to raise their concerns.

PSHE Brighton said: “We are disappointed that the board did not answer the two straightforward questions we asked.

“Our deputation did not seek to attribute blame to the council for the WellBN failures. It simply asked whether the council has undertaken any organisational learning for its own safeguarding arrangements.

“Public confidence is strengthened when institutions demonstrate curiosity and transparency, not by explaining why failures happened elsewhere.”

In response to the data breach, the council said: “We sincerely apologise for the mistake. We removed the document containing the petitioners’ addresses as soon as we were made aware, within 24 hours of publication.

“We immediately informed our data protection officer and notified the petitioner. Officers will also be retaking our information governance training and processes have since been updated to prevent this happening again.”