Freedom of information

What is the Freedom of Information Act?

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act is a national initiative for organisations to promote a culture of openness and accountability in the public sector. It provides a general right of access to information held.

Publication scheme

The Act under Section 19 requires all public authorities to produce a Publication Scheme setting out what information will be made available.

Freedom of Information Act co-ordinator

Company secretary’s department
West Park Hospital
Edward Pease Way
Darlington
DL2 2TS

Email: [email protected]

Caldicott Guardian

The Freedom of Information Act does not change a patient’s right to protect their patient confidentiality.

We’ve appointed a Caldicott Guardian who is responsible for protecting confidentiality throughout the Trust.

Our Caldicott Guardian is:

Elizabeth Moody
Director of nursing and governance
Lanchester Road Hospital
Durham
DH1 5RD

Email: [email protected]

Operation of the scheme

We operate under specific guidance from the Information Commissione rs Office (ICO) alongside our own internal policy.

How to make a Freedom of Information request

You must put your requests for information in writing.

You can:

send an email to [email protected]
post your request to, company secretary’s department, West Park Hospital, Edward Pease Way, Darlington, DL2 2TS

Fees and charges

Minutes or papers of a public meeting

Available online for free
2p per single sheet if printed copy

Annual Report

Available online for free
£5 if printed copy

Register of members

Available to inspect for free

Copyright

The material available through the publication scheme is subject to Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust copyright unless otherwise indicated.

Unless expressly indicated on the material to the contrary, it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium, provided it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading manner.

Where any of the copyright items in this scheme are being re-published or copied to others, you must identify the source of the material and acknowledge the copyright status. Permission to reproduce material does not extend to any material accessed through the publication scheme that is the copyright of third parties. You must obtain authorisation to reproduce such material from the copyright holders concerned.

Her Majesty’s Stationery office is now part of the Office of Public Sector Information – http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ The Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 The Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations came into force on 1 July 2005.

All information supplied by the Trust in answering a request for information (RFI) under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will be subject to the terms of the Reuse of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005, Statutory Instrument 2005 No.1515. Under the terms of the Regulations, the Trust will licence the re-use of any or all information supplied if being used in a form and for a purpose other than which it was originally supplied. This licence for re-use will be in line with the requirements of the Regulations and the licensing terms and fees as laid down by the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI). Most licences will be free; however the Trust reserves the right, in certain circumstances, to charge a fee for the re-use of some information which it deems to be of commercial value.

Further information can be found at www.opsi.gov.uk/ where a sample licence terms and fees can be found with guidance on copyright and publishing notes and a Guide to Best Practice and regulated advice and case studies.