Do as you're told?

Robert is an IT Manager working in a large organisation that provides both inpatient and outpatient Mental Health services.

While at a sporting event Bill, a long time friend, told him of the on-going problems he is having dealing with the organisation. Bill was very unhappy about the quantity and usefulness of the help he was getting, and also with the information he was being provided regarding the Mental Health issues of his son Graham, who Robert had met but do not know well. Bill knew generally that Robert works for the company he was talking about, but did not know Robert worked in Mental Health. He was voicing his frustration rather than seeking advice.

As our discussion continued, Robert felt Bill had some valid issues. He explained the complaint system the company had, and suggested to Bill that if he still felt the same way in a day or so, he could provide him with the necessary forms and contact to allow him to lay a complaint.

A few weeks later, Robert was asked by the CEO to provide some quite detailed reports regarding Graham's treatment as a complaint has been laid.

Robert told the CEO that he knew Graham and his family quite well, but did not know the details of Graham's illness and did not want to know. He added that he believed that he should not be the one that trolled through Graham's records as it seemed a breach of his privacy.

The CEO's only response was that he needed the information in seven days.

There are other people that could extract the necessary information within the company, but not within Mental Health.