GDPR issue in Pharmacy

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Need advice on how to handle this. Patient in my local chemist. A member of staff there with an abrupt manner, but was flat out hostile to me during the week, making me so uncomfortable I walked out of the chemist without carrying out the business I went in for.

Fast forward tonight, this ladies brothers girlfriend posted up a Facebook message advising me to find another chemist to torment. This lady is a 3rd party not associated with the chemist either now or in the past.

How do I approach this? I spoke to the manager during the week when the initial incident happened

dobman88

Some aul wan in a pharmacy gossiping about some customer to some other wan isn't a GDPR breach. Jesus christ. :pac:

It's bad form to do it but people seem to think GDPR is everything it's not.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

No, the staff member gossiping about me outside of work

antix80

That doesn't sound like a gdpr issue.

Nice try though.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Given the staff in pharmacies are bound by the same confidentiality as other medical professionals

antix80

Kinslee Angry Scrabble wrote: »

Given the staff in pharmacies are bound by the same confidentiality as other medical professionals

No more than staff at a makeup counter.

I think you should take your business elsewhere.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

antix80 wrote: »

No more than staff at a makeup counter.

I think you should take your business elsewhere.

Staff at a makeup counter don’t have access to personal and sensitive medical information

punisher5112

Definitely worth an email or letter to owner but I wouldn't be going back there as that's extremely unprofessional.

You know there are rooms you can ask to be seen in and ask for pharmacist.

antix80

Kinslee Angry Scrabble wrote: »

Staff at a makeup counter don’t have access to personal and sensitive medical information

No evidence sbe disclosed sensitive medical info.

Is there bad blood between you and that family?

banie01

Kinslee Angry Scrabble wrote: »

Given the staff in pharmacies are bound by the same confidentiality as other medical professionals

Did the pharmacy employee discuss your medical info?
Or did they discuss that they don't like you?

One is a breach, the other is gossip.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

antix80 wrote: »

No evidence sbe disclosed sensitive medical info.

Is there bad blood between you and that family?

Not at all. I don’t know the lady outside going in and out of the chemist. Always found her manner to be very abrupt but put that down to just how she was. She was rude and hostile on Monday. I would know her brother more of an acquaintance than anything else. I used to be friends with his girlfriend but we no longer talk however there was no drama there, just stopped talking. She’s using this now on her public Facebook which I’m not happy about

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

banie01 wrote: »

Did the pharmacy employee discuss your medical info?
Or did they discuss that they don't like you?

One is a breach, the other is gossip.

Oh listen, I’ve no problem with her not liking me. I wouldn’t be losing any sleep over that. Having a 3rd party post a public message on Facebook telling me to find another chemist to torment is what I hold issue with.

kirving

I guess it depends on what you went there for?

Anything anyway medical and I'd be surprised if the owners didn't sack her for sharing your information.

I know a few people who worked in pharmacies (not pharmacists) and they're told not to even say to their friends/relatives if a mutual friend/relative comes in.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I went in there for a medical reason, yes. She was behind the dispensary when I walked in and she walked out to me and was rude, I left and complained and now her brothers girlfriend has it publicly on Facebook that I should find another chemist to torment.

banie01

Kinslee Angry Scrabble wrote: »

Oh listen, I’ve no problem with her not liking me. I wouldn’t be losing any sleep over that. Having a 3rd party post a public message on Facebook telling me to find another chemist to torment is what I hold issue with.

So no evidence on your part that a medical or confidential piece of information was disclosed?

A 3rd party not employed by the Pharmacy took it upon themselves to tell you find an alternative pharmacy.
The staff member may have passed a comment along the lines of "shoesdaychild stormed out of here like a bitch", nothing confidential or protected in disclosing that opinion.
Then the 3rd party decided to run with it and tell you to find a different place to go.
Unless the pharmacy employee told you directly and publically to take your custom elsewhere, or you have proof that she directed her friend to do it.

Then much as you might be irked, there's nothing really actionable.

Darc19

I'd certainly be concerned, but it's very much a customer service issue than gdpr (people should read up on gdpr before using the term)

I'd take a screenshot of the post, send it to the pharmacist / manager / owner and ask if it's policy for staff to gossip about customers and get their friends to make disparaging remarks?

Ask for action to be taken and you'd like to know the outcome.

Alternatively tag them in a post with a screenshot and say that if you have a customer service issue with this pharmacy, then expect a personal attack by friends of the staff on Facebook

TheDriver

I concur that GDPR is the most misquoted and misinterpreted law put there.
OP I'd go with Darc19 advice

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Thanks for all your help everybody! I contacted the pharmacy this morning to speak to the manager, turned out it was the owner I spoke with. He was totally horrified and asked me to meet face to face to discuss this given how serious it is. He will travel to meet me too.

Darc19

He/she might want to be rid of this person and you are doing them and their customers a favor.

duffman13

Kinslee Angry Scrabble wrote: »

Thanks for all your help everybody! I contacted the pharmacy this morning to speak to the manager, turned out it was the owner I spoke with. He was totally horrified and asked me to meet face to face to discuss this given how serious it is. He will travel to meet me too.

Any pharmacist/manager/owner in that industry wouldn't tolerate that kind of behaviour, the fact she's publicly put something on Facebook means she's probably screwed herself. Idle gossip is hard to prove, her Facebook post isn't. Fair play to the owner.

AlphabetCards

I cannot understand how anyone can defend this behaviour. At worst this is a potentially serious breach of medical confidentiality. At best, an employee is dragging her boss and her bosses business into serious disrepute. Best of luck OP.

biko

Screenshot the FB post and mail it to the owner of the chemist.
Maybe they will see things your way, maybe they won't.

Sir Oxman

My take would be customer service matter.
She's only herself to blame because she ID'd you to the other one.
The FB post is the posters responsibility but I'd say the pharmacy boss won't be happy at all that his staff is the source of this.

I mean, the one in the chemist could be telling your private business along with her dislike of you and that is the problem.
What else is she saying about people?

Kristopherus

biko wrote: »

Screenshot the FB post and mail it to the owner of the chemist.
Maybe they will see things your way, maybe they won't.

Well, if the OP is meeting the owner/ manager, she could bring the screenshot with her to that meeting. And, imo, she should take a few screenshots if there's a chance that circumstances will warrant their use down the road. And she should take them tonight/ tomorrow, in case the post is deleted.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I have absolutely screenshot the posts already, and I messaged the girl to ask what she’s talking about, to which she screenshot that and placed it on her Facebook too so made me very identifiable as I’d named the pharmacy in my private text to her. She’s clearly unhinged but my personal business in the chemist should not have been made known to her and if the lady working in the chemist conducted herself with any manners or professionalism on Monday, I wouldn’t have had to leave the chemist.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Look up what GDPR before asking if this is related..which it isn’t.

Keith186

OP's name is "personal data" and the pharmacy has no business sharing it with relatives of staff.
Why wouldn't this be considered a breach of GDPR?
I'm glad the owner is involved and will hopefully address the issue for the OP.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I did look up GDPR and my name was considered personal data

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Irregardless of the fact, it is a consumer issue and the posters have been very helpful.

Purple Mountain

It's definitely a customer confidentiality issue and a serious one.
Not GDPR like stated above.
Sounds like she got told off for being rude to you, went home and blabbed, which she absolutely should not have done.
Her sister in law has less sense than she has to contact you.
They've both made their own bed, I'd be glad to see them both get a boll*king.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I wouldn’t be as mad if she contacted me privately but she posted it as a Facebook status the mad bitch