NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde deny spying on bereaved families
The health board says the practice was conducted in a "perfectly legitimate" manner
Last updated 9th Jun 2023
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) are denying claims it spied on patients and their families after it was reported they had hired a private firm to carry out “social listening”.
The practice involved monitoring the social media accounts of bereaved family members, and the list of those targeted included Louise Slorance, whose husband Andrew worked for the Scottish Government prior to his death in 2020.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for the health board said the monitoring was conducted “through perfectly legitimate and internationally accepted software companies that are used by tens of thousands of private and public sector organisations every day.”
Ms Slorance has since been removed from the list of those being monitored, and the spokesperson added: “In monitoring public conversations surrounding our organisation through social listening, we erroneously reviewed public individual posts shared by the relative of a patient.
"This was an isolated case for which we have since apologised to the individual and we have ceased all such monitoring."
The board say it was a practice recommended by the Scottish Government's Oversight Board to help improve its response to social media activity.
Yesterday during First Minister's Questions, Humza Yousaf said he was "disturbed" by the reports, adding: "I would request Greater Glasgow and Clyde - and I have already - to listen compassionately and listen sensitively to those patients that have been impacted and have been affected."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Oversight Board did not make any recommendations in relation to monitoring the social media activity of individuals. The group recommended that NHS GGC should learn from other Health Boards' good practice in addressing the demand for speedier communication in a quickly-developing and social media context. NHS GGC has confirmed it has apologised to Mrs Slorance and is no longer monitoring her social media accounts.”
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