A grandmother from the Midlands has spoken out about feeling “violated” after her personal medical records were leaked in a cyber-attack on South Staffs Water (SSW).
Lorraine Bowater, 66, from Wednesbury, said she has been left angry and anxious after confidential details of her medical condition were exposed during the breach in August 2022. The leak occurred when SSW’s systems were hacked, compromising the private information of thousands of customers.
The water company had asked Lorraine to share her medical details to ensure she was prioritised during any potential water outages. Due to a condition requiring daily bathing, she agreed to provide the sensitive information, believing it was necessary in case SSW needed to deliver bottled water during an emergency.
Speaking about the breach, she said: “They had all the details about my condition, which was hard enough for me to share. I only did it because I believed they needed to know in case the water supply ever failed, and I needed assistance.
“Now this information is out there for anyone to access because SSW failed to keep it safe. I feel violated, so angry, and stressed.”
In addition to the physical health condition, Lorraine suffers from severe anxiety. She has previously been hospitalised following an anxiety attack so severe that paramedics initially suspected she was having a heart attack.
She said the data breach has worsened her anxiety, as she constantly fears who may now have access to her private information.
“I get palpitations and all the signs of anxiety every time I think about it,” she explained. “This information shouldn’t be out in the public domain, but it is, and it could have been prevented.”
Her frustration is further compounded by the fact that South Staffs Water is the primary supplier in the area, meaning she has no choice but to continue using the service.
“If it had been my energy provider, I could have switched, but I’m stuck with this one. You’re in their hands, and they’ve taken away that trust,” she added.
Lorraine has enlisted the help of Barings Law, a Manchester-based firm with experience in high-profile data breach cases, to pursue a legal claim. The firm is representing her and others affected by the SSW hack in a class-action lawsuit.
Adnan Malik, Head of Data Breach at Barings Law, said it was time for South Staffs Water to take responsibility and compensate those impacted by the breach. He criticised the company for ceasing communication despite admitting liability for the leak.
“It’s deeply disappointing that, despite accepting responsibility, SSW continues to withhold compensation from the thousands of individuals impacted by this breach,” Malik said. “At Barings Law, we are fully committed to ensuring our clients receive the justice they deserve, no matter how long it takes.”
The case is expected to highlight growing concerns about the security of sensitive data and the consequences of cyber-attacks on essential services.