Eastbourne woman is sent 3 strangers’ covid-19 test results instead of her own

An Eastbourne woman says she was sent three strangers’ covid-19 test results instead of her own.
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Amanda Greenfield still does not know her own results – weeks after being tested at the drive-thru facility in Bexhill.

She believes she was texted a family’s results – with their full names and dates of birth and if they had coronavirus.

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The Department for Health has defended its Test and Trace system after the incident, saying 84.3 per cent of test results are returned the next day.

Coronavirus testing (Getty Images)Coronavirus testing (Getty Images)
Coronavirus testing (Getty Images)

Ms Greenfield said, “I just think it’s terrible. If I have received these people’s information who on Earth has received mine?

“It’s a massive data protection breach.”

The 33-year-old went to be tested at the site in Wainright Road on August 19.

She was told to expect her results within 24 hours. But when this did not happen she called the NHS 119 number and was told to check her emails.

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A few days later on August 23, Ms Greenfield claims she was sent six individual text messages containing three other people’s results from the testing site at Gatwick Airport.

After this she escalated the incident with 119, sending a formal complaint, but says she has got nowhere.

“It’s ridiculous,” she said, “You go and do everything they told you to do and they don’t give you your results.”

Because she had taken the test, Ms Greenfield and her partner had to quarantine for 10 days, despite not knowing if they had the virus.

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This affected both of their jobs, she said, with her partner losing money due to being self-employed.

On whether she would take another test, she said, “I can’t put myself through it again. I don’t trust where my information may have gone to and I don’t trust if I’m going to get the results back.

“The test and trace system is not working.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson, who was given the allegations in full, said, “NHS Test and Trace is working, it’s completely free and is stopping the spread of coronavirus.

“The overwhelming majority of people report no issues with the process, with 84.3 per cent of in-person test results returned the next day, and support is available via 119 should anyone need it.”

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