Personal information exposed in new ACC privacy breach

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ACC sends woman wrong private info

3News NZ

Nicole Quilter

Nicole Quilter

By Jesse Peach

There's been another privacy bungle from ACC. This time a woman in Christchurch was sent personal details about a man from Auckland.

Nicole Quilter's latest neuropsychological report from the ACC contains what she describes as "detailed information about herself", some "very sensitive issues", and a medical certificate for a man who lives in Auckland. A man she doesn't know.

“Half of it belongs to that gentleman and half of it belongs to me. I couldn't give it to him even if he wanted it,” says Ms Quilter.

The documents reveal his name, address, age, original diagnosis, present diagnosis, his work capacity, how long he can work, his activity restrictions and his doctor's name.

“It's unacceptable to a massive degree. It's stressed me out. You know I’m worried that he's got the other half. It's quite creepy."

Earlier this year 6700 client details were emailed to Bronwyn Pullar, setting off a long-running scandal. By June, three ACC board members, plus the chair, chief executive and a minister had stepped down.

But then in July, Kahl Sharpe was sent the private details of another claimant by mistake, and a month later the Privacy Commissioner's report into the Pullar saga found incompetence and systemic failure within ACC.

This latest privacy breach coincides with the release of the Privacy Commissioner's annual report. There were 173 complaints about ACC breaching privacy in the last year - three times as many the year before.

"Good progress was being made in mitigating risks, but it's deeply disappointed that errors continue to occur,” ACC told 3 News

Ms Quilter is also deeply disappointed, and she’s now considering legal action.

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Comments

5/12/2012 3:21:09 p.m.

Sharice Herd wrote:

They have done it a couple of times to a cousin of mine. My cousin was, a while ago, sent someones ACC account information via postage and just within the last few days ACC emailed someones account!!! Something needs to be done!!

29/11/2012 8:13:39 p.m.

unicorn wrote:

And this has happened now, after all the other 6700 privacy breaches, and their new more secure system with their so called Privacy Champions, and the KPMG report? Sack the staff involved immediately. Pay the people who have had their privacy breached lots of money, coz ACC certainly can afford it, and these people need to have money for a lawyer. So they get a meaningful apology from ACC. These breaches are unacceptable.