Accessing information we hold
NCH&C collect and use a wide range of information to help provide services as well as keep the organisation running. NCH&C has a privacy notice that may answer some questions you have about the sort of information we collect and use. Our Privacy Notice is available here.
You are welcome to ask us for different types of information and this page will help you do that.
You can request any information we have about you at any time. In line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) this will be dealt with under the Subject Access Provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). Put simply, this act gives individuals the legal right to request access to their personal information. The information we hold about you will likely be in the form of health records.
If you would like to see or obtain a copy of your health record, you will need to make a subject access request, there are some checks we will need to make to validate your identity and we have a team who can help you through this process. If you would like to do this now, please click here.
There is no charge for the time and administration involved with processing subject access requests except when additional copies of already supplied information are requested. We have 30 days to supply your information from receipt of your request. Please note though, we’re unable to begin processing your request until proof of ID is received. As the data controller, we need to ensure that the request is actually from the data subject concerned. Proof of identity can be a copy of a formal document or bill with your name and address on it or your driving licence or passport.
If you would like more information on the information that you can request or have any questions about information we collect, please contact our team on; 01603 785879 or email [email protected]
If you’re unhappy with any aspect of the way in which we deal with your Subject Access Request, you may complain both to NCH&C via this link here and in writing to the Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Email form: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/email/
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Freedom of Information & our publication scheme
The Freedom of Information Act gives everyone the right to request access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities. This is aimed at promoting a culture of transparency and accountability across the public sector.
Before you submit your request, we would encourage you to look at our publication scheme.
The publication scheme for the NCH&C has been adopted without modification from the model publication scheme prepared and approved by the Information Commissioner.
This publication scheme commits the Trust to make information available to the public as part of its normal business activities. The information covered is included in the classes of information mentioned below, where this information is held by the Trust.
Classes of information included in this publication scheme:
- Who we are and what we do - organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance
- What we spend and how we spend it - financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and contracts
- What are our priorities and how are we doing - strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews
- How we make decisions - policy proposals and decisions, decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations including the Board of Directors' and Board of Governors' meetings
- Our policies and procedures - current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities
- Lists and registers - information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the authority
- Services we offer - advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases, descriptions of the services offered
The Trust will indicate clearly to the public what information is covered by this scheme and how it can be obtained. Where it is within the capability of the Trust, information will be provided on this website and can be accessed in the below table.
Where it is impracticable to make information available on this website or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, the Trust will indicate how information can be obtained by other means and provide it by those means. In exceptional circumstances some information may be available only by viewing in person. Where this is the case, an appointment to view the information will be arranged at a mutually convenient time.
Information will be provided in the language in which it is held or in such other language that is legally required. Where an authority is legally required to translate any information, it will do so. Obligations under disability and discrimination legislation and any other legislation to provide information in other forms and formats will be adhered to when providing information in accordance with this scheme.
The purpose of this scheme is to make the maximum amount of information readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost to the public. Charges made by the Trust for routinely published material will be justified and transparent and kept to a minimum. Material which is published and accessed on a website will be provided free of charge.
Requesting information that is not on the publication scheme
Information held by a NCH&C that is not published under this scheme may be able to be requested. In this case a request would need to be made in writing, when its provision will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). NCH&C has a team to assist with all requests under FOIA.
If you would like to make a request for information that is not in our publication scheme please click here, if you would like to make enquiries about the sort of information you can request please contact our team on; 01603 785879 or email [email protected].
Please note: all requests for information must be made in writing so if you speak to a member of our team, they may ask that you follow up with a written request once it has been identified what information you need and how we can help you. Our team will talk you through what is needed.
PUBLICATION SCHEME
1. Who we are and what we do
- 1 - a - How we fit into the NHS structure
- 1 - b - Organisational structure
- 1 - c - Lists of and information relating to organisations with which the authority works in partnership
- 1 - d - Senior staff and management board members
- 1 - e - Location and contact details for all public-facing departments
2. What we spend and how we spend it
- 2 - a - Annual statement of accounts
- 2 - b - Budgets and variance reports
- 2 - c - Financial audit reports
- 2 - d - Standing financial instructions
- 2 - e - Capital programme
- 2 - f - Staff and Board members allowances and expenses
- 2 - g - Staff pay and grading structures
- 2 - h - Funding - including endowment funds
- 2 - i - Procurement and tendering procedures
- 2 - j - Details of contracts currently being tendered
- 2 - k - List and value of contracts awarded and their value
3. What our priorities are and how we are doing
- 3 - a - Annual report
- 3 - b - Annual business plan
- 3 - c - Targets, aims and objectives
- 3 - d - Strategic direction document - 5 year plan
- 3 - e - Performance against targets - KPI performance framework
- 3 - f - Clinical governance
- 3 - g - Health care Commission - Annual check
- 3 - h - Audit reports
- 3 - i - Service User Surveys
4. How we make decisions
- 4 - a - Board papers - agenda, supporting papers and minutes
- 4 - b - Patient and public involvement strategy - PPI
- 4 - c - Public consultations - for example concerning closures variations of services
- 4 - d - Internal communications guidance and criteria used for decision making i.e. process systems and key personnel
5. Our policies and procedures
- 5 - a - Policies and procedures relating to the conduct of business and the provision of services
- 5 - b - Policies and procedures relating to human resources - including race, disability, age and gender, equal opportunities
- 5 - c - Policies and procedures relating to recruitment and employment
- 5 - d - Standing financial procedures
- 5 - e - Standing orders
- 5 - f - Complaints and other customer service policies and procedures
- 5 - g - Data protection, information governance, Caldicott Guardian
- 5 - h - Estate management
- 5 - i - Charging regimes and policies
6. Lists and registers
- 6 - a - Any information we are currently legally required to hold in publicly available registers
- 6 - b - List of main contractors and suppliers
- 6 - c - Assets registers and information asset register
- 6 - d - Any register of interests kept in the authority
- 6 - e - Register of gifts and hospitality provided to Board members and senior personnel
- 6 - f - Disclosure log
7. The services we offer
- 7 - a - Clinical services provided and or commissioned
- 7 - b - Non-clinical services
- 7 - c - Services for which the authority is entitled to recover a fee together with those fees
- 7 - d - Patient information leaflets and other booklets and newsletters
- 7 - e - PALS
- 7 - f - Advice and guidance
- 7 - g - Corporate communications and media releases