The Information Commissioner's Office has criticised Lancashire County Council after highly personal data was found by the buyer of a second-hand filing cabinet.
The ICO said that Lancashire CC breached the Data Protection Act, and the council's chief executive Ged Fitzgerald has signed an undertaking to introduce a written procedure for disposing of office equipment.
It said the social-casework files, which were duplicates of those held by the county council, included extensive amounts of personal data, including ethnicity, religion and physical and mental-health conditions of clients. "The personal data contained in these records was extensive and, in one instance, provided an almost complete picture of the individual's life," it said in the statement of undertaking signed by Lancashire.
The ICO, which said it had been alerted by a newspaper article to the incident, added that it had considered remedial action already taken by Lancashire and had decided against serving an enforcement notice on the county.
Under legislation that comes into force on 1 April, the ICO will be able to fine organisations up to £500,000 for breaches of personal data.
Talkback
Why the hell did they need such personal information?! people's private health is nothing to do with them and nor required for them to do their jobs! unless there fabricating b#llsh*t figures to worm their way out of paying up for something, or if there on the scrounge which is usually the case.
My advice the next time your local council send a detailed general survey form out don't tell them everything, they simply do not need to know.