Confidential papers sent out again weeks after mistake

Dec 7 2012 by Sandy Kilpatrick, Dumfries & Galloway Standard

Blundering social workers have sent an Annan woman confidential papers by mistake for the second time in five weeks.

Mum of six Heather Hodgson opened an envelope to find it contained a private case file relating to someone else last month.

Social workers visited Heather at her home in Fernlea Crescent to apologise for the error.

Yesterday the same thing happened again despite Heather being given assurances by the council that it would take action to prevent any future mix-ups.

Heather, 48, said: “The social work have done it again. This is absolutely ridiculous. It’s the same person’s documents that have been posted to me a second time.

“How many times does this need to happen before it stops? It’s getting beyond a joke.”

A council spokeswoman said: “We are grateful to the Standard for bringing this to our attention. We need to establish the facts, so we are carrying out an investigation into this allegation.”