Confidentiality concern about new care agency

[Deedee28]

Hi i 'll try and be brief but i need some input on a situation i'm struggling with. Mum lives at home and we 've been paying a local care agency privately to support mum living at home, family also provide support. We are happy with current agency.
As mums savings are dwindling I 've had social services in to do assessment and social worker (SW) has agreed to put in some drop ins for 4 x 30 mins per day . i am in process of completing financial assessment forms for local authority. The drop ins are initially just for a week (pretty imminent, starting in next 10 days) to see how goes and to give family some respite.
SW knows about existing care agency but says they have to use the agency contracted to cover mums postcode area. I made contact with the new agency who now need to come out to do an assessment with Mum. No problems with that but here's the crunch. When I rang the new agency, I suspected that the person I spoke to initially was the relative of a friend of mine, and she may well have been aware of who I was. She didn't say anything to acknowledge she knew me, that was fine by me and i respected the professionalism and confidentiality. However the next day my friend called me to say that her relative had told another family member that they were providing cover for my mum. this really upset me as i feel she had no right to share this information. Is this a breach of confidentiality? If so who do I report it to? And also can anyone advise me if I am justified in going back to the SW to say I don't now want this agency providing the service to my mum, can I demand another agency do it? Thanks

 

[LadyA]

Gosh, it's awful when stuff like that happens, when we know it shouldn't! Carmar is right in everything she says, but if you don't want to fall out with your friend about it, could you just contact the Agency and just make a complaint directly to them rather than go the official complaints route? For example, tell them that after your phone call, it had got back to you through a friend, who had heard it from another family member, that the Agency were now providing care for your mum. And point out to them the breaches of confidentiality involved.

 

[Deedee28]

Thank you Carmar and LadyA for your thoughts , so useful to get input from others , it's a great leveller to know I m not over reacting. My friend actually told me of the breach as she herself was annoyed at what her relative had done but it's a difficult situation isnt it. I'm going to speak to the social worker and tell her but then I guess I ll have to wait to see if SW is prepared to let me use another care agency. If not and I m stuck with this particular agency for the week then I think I m best waiting till after they have provided the care package so it doesn't affect mum . Then I will lodge a complaint with them. I feel very uncomfortable with the situation, on top of everything else. Thanks for your support

 

[Deedee28]

Hi there, I decided not to report this breach of confidentiality after a bit of thought. One, I know it could cause problems for my friend but also because the 'culprit' for want of a better word has been in communication with another of my family members already so i don't know what has been said there, she may have given permission for this person to talk openly about it. I'll wait till after they have delivered the care package and consider speaking to a manager in general terms about confidentially. These things are sent to try us!!