Freedom of Information

Making a Freedom of Information (FOI)

We are committed to being open and transparent, and we aim to respond to requests for information in a timely and efficient way. To help us do this, it is important that your request is clear, specific and appropriately focused from the outset.

Requests that are well defined - setting out exactly what information is required, including a clear timeframe and relevant context - enable us to locate and provide information more quickly. In contrast, requests that are vague, overly broad, or lacking sufficient detail are significantly more difficult to process and are likely to be delayed while we seek clarification.

Under the relevant legislation, we are not required to comply with requests that would place a disproportionate burden on the organisation. This includes requests that ask for large volumes of information, cover extensive or undefined time periods, or require us to search widely across multiple systems without clear parameters. Requests that are unclear or too broad may be refused or returned to you for refinement before we can proceed.

We also reserve the right to refuse requests that are repetitive or substantially similar to previous requests, or where the information is already reasonably accessible to you, including where it is published on our website.

Before submitting a request, you are encouraged to check whether the information you are seeking is already publicly available, as this is often the quickest way to access it without the need for a formal request.

Using public resources responsibly

Access to information is an important right, and we are committed to being open and transparent.

However, responding to requests takes time and uses public resources. This means every request has a cost, and we have a responsibility to ensure public money is used appropriately.

The cost limit for complying with a request or a linked series of requests from the same person or group is set at £450 for public authorities like the ICB. We can refuse a request if we estimate that the cost of compliance would exceed this. This provision is found at section 12 of the Act. We can refuse a request if deciding whether we hold the information would mean we exceed the cost limit, for example, because it would require an extensive search in a number of locations.

We can also only provide information that we hold in a recorded form. This means we are not required to create new information to answer an FOI Request – must be as deemed “Held” by the ICB, per ICO definitions [Information you hold for the purposes of FOIA | ICO], offer explanations, or provide opinions in response to a request.

We ask that requests are made thoughtfully. Requests that are trivial, repeated without good reason, or submitted in a way that places unnecessary burden on the organisation may not be processed.

Please Stay Polite: Keep language neutral and polite to ensure the request is processed effectively. Requests should not be used as a way of expressing dissatisfaction or as a means of pursuing complaints. In these cases, there are more appropriate routes available.

Where requests are considered unreasonable or place a disproportionate demand on resources, they may be refused in line with guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The Guide below will help you when making an FOI/SAR request

1. Request Type: What type of request are you making?

• Freedom of Information (FOI)
• Subject Access Request (SAR – your personal data)
• Use the Right Subject Line: Use a clear heading like "Request for Information under FOI – or my information under a Subject Access Request".

[If SAR selected: To help us locate your records, please provide:

• Full name
• Previous names (if applicable)
• Date of birth
• Relevant services or interactions
• Upload ID (optional at this stage)

(Subject Access Requests - Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB)

2. Before You Submit: Have you checked whether this information is already published on our website (Search First)

• Yes
• No

(Many commonly requested items are already available and can be accessed quickly without submitting a formal request.)

3. Describe the Information You Need: Please clearly describe the information you are requesting  (Keep it clear and simple)

(Be specific about what you need. Avoid broad requests such as ‘all information’. Include subject, context, and what exactly you want provided. And Keep it Simple: Use numbered lists or bullet points. Avoid mixing your request with a complaint or general inquiries.)

4. Time Period: What time period does your request relate to (Be specific)

• From - To

(Requests without a defined timeframe may be delayed or refused.)

5. Service / Area: Which service, department or topic does your request relate to (Be specific)

(e.g. Primary Care, Finance, Medicines, Other)

6. Level of Detail Check: Which best describes your request (Be specific)

• A specific question or dataset
• Several related questions
• A large or complex request

(Large or complex requests may exceed legal time limits. We may contact you to refine your request before processing and we may refuse the request or charge a fee if the cost of retrieving the information exceeds a set limit)

(Complex requests that are difficult to get to the heart of quickly may will add time to the process. Time needed for the ICB to speak to the Applicant, explain how the Act works, and find out exactly what is wanted).

7. Final Check - Before submitting, please confirm:

• My request is clear and specific – I have clearly described the information I want, including dates, project names, or specific locations, to help the ICB find it efficiently.
• I have included a time period
• I understand unclear or broad requests may be delayed or refused
• I understand that my request will not incur automatic rejection because the ICB does not have the relevant information in recorded form

(While the Act requires the ICB to provide recorded information that it holds, pending certain valid “exemptions”, this doesn’t automatically mean asking a question will result in the ICB creating new information to respond to it appropriately in a written answer or explanation. While FOIA is about accessing information, it is not a vehicle for dealing with routine customer service issues.)

Requests that are unclear, excessively broad, or require a disproportionate amount of time to process may be refused under applicable legislation.

Other available guidance can be found on the ICO website;

How to access information from a public authority | ICO and;

WhatDoTheyKnow - Make and browse Freedom of Information (FOI) requests

For the following FOIs, please contact University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust or Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust:

• Neurosurgery Procedures
• Dynamic Support Registers
• UTI tests undertaken
• Weight Management Service
• Endoscopy Procedures
• Clinical services insourcing to help recovery Waiting Lists
• Surgeon and Nursing staff
• Children with Heart Defects
  
  

For the following FOIs, please contact University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust or North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust:

• Support services for Children and Young People with Learning Disabilities and Autism
• Sleep Deprivation / Insomnia
  
  

For the following FOIs, please contact North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust:

• Mental Health helpline
• Suicide Prevention funding
  
  

For the following FOIs, please contact University Hospitals of Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust:

• CAMHS Tier 4 beds
  
  

For the following FOIs, please contact Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, Staffordshire County Council or Stoke-on-Trent City Council:

• Vaccinations
  
  

For the following FOIs, please contact NHS England:

• Finance Software System

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 requires us to:

• Provide information to you about NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) through a publication scheme
• Provide a guide to this information
• Respond appropriately to requests for information

The below information is exempt from FOI requests as it is widely accessible through other routes (Our website) The links below will provide the information needed for each subject matter.

Primary Care Practices / Primary Care Networks

General Practice

Fertility Policy

Excluded and Restricted Procedures Policy

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Policy

EPRR Policy

Structures

Executive / Portfolio lead contacts

Expenditure over £25k

Anyone, anywhere in the world, can make a FOI request to NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB.

You can seek any recorded information that you think NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB may hold.

If the information is environmental, we will respond according to the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) 2004. You do not have to know whether the information you want is covered by the EIR or the FOI Act. When you make a request, we will decide which law applies.

If the information is your own personal data, then you should make a subject access request under the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998, and not under the FOI Act. See below for how to make DPA requests.

Your request must be in writing and can be either posted or emailed to NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB.

For postal requests, please send to the following address:

Smithfield One, Leonard Coates Way, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3RD

Email requests should be sent to staffsstokefoi@staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk

Please write “Freedom of Information” in the subject line.

If you would have difficulty making a written request, please contact our customer care team on 0300 123 1461.

The FOI Act requires certain information to be supplied before NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB can respond to your request:

• your real name – we do not have to respond to requests submitted under a pseudonym;
• your address (email addresses are acceptable);
• a description of the information you wish to obtain; and
• any preferences for the format in which you wish to receive the information e.g. electronic or hard copy. We will endeavour to meet your preferences but cannot guarantee that we will be able to.

• Explicitly mention the FOI Act, although it may help to do so;
• Know whether the information is covered by the FOI Act or the EIR as we will decide this;
• Say why you want the information; or
• Specify particular documents. You have a right to information, however it is recorded.

Comprehensive guidance on submitting effective requests for information is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office. However, to frame an effective request for the information you need:

Do:

• do clearly identify the information you want. Be clear about date ranges or timescales. If it is not clear what you are requesting, we may need to seek further clarification;
• do be as specific as possible. If your request is too general, it may be refused on the grounds that replying would exceed the cost limit laid down in the Fees Regulations, which is equivalent to one person working for three and a half days. If this happens, we will ask you to re-submit a narrower, more specific request which could be met within the cost limits and give you advice and assistance to do so;
• do ask questions such as “what” or “how much” as this is much more likely to result in a useful response;
• do use straightforward, polite language.

Don’t:

• don’t use open-ended questions such as “why”.  We do not have to answer your question if this would mean creating new information or giving an opinion or judgment that is not already recorded;
• don’t base your request on assumptions or opinions;
• don’t mix your request with complaints or comments.

NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB has a legal obligation to reply to your FOI request and must do so within 20 working days of receipt. We will do one of the following:

• supply you with the information you requested;
• inform you that we don’t hold the information and, if we are able, advise you who does;
• inform you that your request will exceed the cost limit specified in the Fees Regulations and invite you to submit a narrower request;
• inform you that we hold the information requested but refuse to provide all or part of it and explain why, citing one or more of the exemptions from the FOI Act;
• inform you that we are refusing your request on the basis it is repeated or vexatious; or
• inform you that we need more time to consider the public interest test in relation to your request and let you know when to expect a further response. This should not be later than 40 working days after receipt of your request.

You can ask NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB for an internal review of your FOI request. When you write to us requesting an internal review, we will acknowledge your letter and tell you how long we think the review will take. We aim to complete internal reviews within 20 working days, although more cases that are complex may take longer. Where internal reviews go over 20 working days, we will keep you informed of progress.

If, after an internal review, you are still not satisfied you can then complain to the Information Commissioner (ICO).  Details of how to do this are available at the ICO website.

Full details of how to ask NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB for an internal review will be included in our initial reply to your FOI request. Details of how to complain further to the Information Commissioner will be included in our response to your internal review request.

Whilst we do process limited patient data for the purpose of complaints, subject access requests and freedom of information requests, we do not hold medical records.

We may collect and store a small amount of identifiable information that has been received directly from you or organisations such as local authorities and GP Practices if you are a patient with the:

• Continuing healthcare
• Individual Funding Requests (IFR)
• Medicines management teams

Your main health records can be requested by contacting your registered GP practice or the NHS organisation where you received medical advice and/or treatment.

If you are requesting medical records, please contact the relevant trust where treatment was provided.

Please note the following contacts:

• University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (which covers; County Hospital, Stafford; Royal Stoke Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent; and North Staffordshire Hospital) contact email for records: ministries.office@nhs.net
• Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trust (which covers Cannock Chase Hospital) contact email for records: rwh-tr.healthrecordsaccess@nhs.net
• Midlands Partnership NHS Trust: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk/service-users-carers/your-rights-and-safeguarding
• North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust: https://www.rightly.co.uk/company/north-staffordshire-combined-healthcare-nhs-trust/
• The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (Queen’s Hospital in Burton, Samuel Johnson Community Hospital in Lichfield and Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital in Tamworth): https://www.uhdb.nhs.uk/medical-records/
• CHC/PHB/FNC Funding, email: MLCSU.chcbmadmin@nhs.net
• IFR Funding request documents, email: ifrteam@nhs.net
• Access to Deceased Records: https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/nhs-services-and-treatments/can-i-access-the-medical-records-health-records-of-someone-who-has-died

Under GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to see or be given a copy of any personal data held about you by the ICB.

To gain access to a copy of your information, you will need to make a Subject Access Request (SAR) to subjectaccess@staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk