What is the Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act gives you the right to ask us for all the information we have on any subject you choose. You can ask for all the personal information we hold on you. If you ask for information about yourself, your request will be handled under the Data Protection Act instead of the Freedom of Information Act.

Unless there’s a good reason, we must provide the information within a month.

Who can ask for information?

Any person can make a request for information under the Act.

What can you ask for?

You can ask for any information at all. The Act allows information to be withheld to protect various interests (including those of other patients) and for specified other reasons. If we do not provide you with the information we must tell you why.

We have a duty to provide the information either:

• By publishing it (ie make it publically available). This would not apply to personal information.
• By providing it to someone who makes a proper request under the general right of access.

Full details about our publication scheme can be found below.

Please use the navigation to the left or the search box below to find the information you require.

The Publication Scheme is in three parts, as follows:

Part One: Introduction

• What a Publication Scheme is
• How to use this Publication Scheme
• Confidentiality
• Rights of Access
• Feedback

Part Two: The Classes of Information That We Hold

1. The NHS and how we fit in
2. Who we are
3. Financial and funding information
4. Corporate information
5. Aims, targets and achievements
6. Our services
7. Reports and Independent Enquiries
8. Policies and Procedures
9. Public Involvement and Consultation
10. Regular publications and information for the public
11. Complaints
12. Human Resources
13. Press and media releases
14. Environmental information
15. This Publication scheme

Part Three: Appendices and Useful Resources

• Appendix 1 - List of exemptions
• Appendix 2 - External bodies involved in the monitoring and/or inspection of our services
• Appendix 3 - Useful resources