Pest and trace... Call handler abused his position to send messages on social media to a female student

A ‘predatory’ call handler at NHS Test and Trace abused his position to send messages on social media to a female student.

He legitimately phoned the Oxford undergraduate to check she was quarantining after she returned from Italy.

But he contacted the 22-year-old on Instagram just one hour later, saying: ‘Gonna sound weird, but spoke to you thru NHS...’. He said she seemed ‘cool’ and ‘pretty’, and asked where she was from.

The language student, who asked not to be named, said the incident in June left her feeling shaken as he knew her address. 

A call handler at NHS Test and Trace legitimately phoned the Oxford undergraduate to check she was quarantining after she returned from Italy before messaging the 22-year-old on Instagram just one hour later (file photo)

She said: ‘This man acted in a predatory manner and has gone out of his way to track me down and send me creepy messages though my private Instagram page.

‘Someone like that should not be working for NHS Test and Trace, where they can access such sensitive personal data... there was the possibility that his online stalking could progress to physical stalking.’

The Department of Health last night promised to investigate and said it suspends staff when appropriate.

A spokesman said: ‘NHS Test and Trace is committed to protecting the personal data and safety of people they contact.’