We are keen to produce and share high-quality information with our users that will help them understand and access our services.
We are keen to produce and share high-quality information with our users that will help them understand and access our services.
We are required to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. These acts give anyone who is interested access to information held by public authorities excluding personal information; intention is to encourage openness and accountability.
What is the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act?
The Freedom of Information Act ensures that public sector organisations are publicly accountable and gives any person the right to request information about a public authority.
As a member of the public you have a right to know what your local NHS are doing for you, what money we receive and how we spend it, what services we offer, what targets we are set and how we are working towards achieving them.
The Freedom of Information Act applies to England, Scotland and Wales and is monitored by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) (opens in a new tab).
The Publication Scheme
The ICO has set out a model Publication Scheme for all health bodies to follow and this allows us break down the information we routinely publish into seven classes.
How to make an FOI request
If you wish to make an enquiry about CUH under the Freedom of Information Act, then please check our publication scheme (opens in a new tab) first.
Your request for information must be in writing, include a name and address for correspondence (email address is also acceptable) and describe the information that you are requesting, giving us enough detail about the information in order to allow us to correctly identify and find it.
You can do this in the following ways:
- Fill in our online form
- Ask our clinical or support staff, as you meet them or by appointment or by post
- Ask our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) advisors
- Ask a Governor, if you are a member of our NHS Foundation Trust
Our target for meeting requests for information is 20 working days. Applicants will be kept informed if any delays appear likely.
What can we share with you?
We will disclose information wherever possible. However, in certain limited circumstances, it will be necessary to withhold some or all of the information requested under one of the exemptions outlined in the Act. In any case where information is refused, we will specify which exemption has been claimed and why. All requests for information will be carefully considered on their own merits and with close regard to the public interest.
How much will it cost me?
Information which is available from our website will generally be without charge.
For information requested under the Freedom of Information Act the following charges will apply:
Where the cost of the Trust responding to your request for information is calculated as being less than £450.00 (this covers the time taken to look for, find and put the information into a format that has been requested) no standard fee will be charged, but we will charge the full costs of disbursements (costs of postage and photocopying) when this exceeds £25.00.
Complying with requests for information which would exceed more than the £450 limit to respond to will be at the discretion of the Trust and may incur a fee.
Complaints
If an applicant is not happy with how their request for information has been dealt with they should follow the our normal complaint procedure.
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) can provide assistance and information to anyone wishing to make a complaint.
If an applicant is still not happy once their complaint has been dealt with by the Trust, they have the right of appeal to the Information Commissioner's Office. (opens in a new tab)
Speak to our team
Please email the FOI team, call 01223 348697 or 01223 414771.