Freedom of Information

An introduction
Over the last few years the UK Government has introduced a number of related items of legislation which have created an 'access to information regime'. The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 enables access to environmental information, the Data Protection Act 1998 enables access to personal information of which the applicant is the subject, and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 enables access to all other information.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 received Royal Assent on 30 November 2000, and came fully into force on 1 January 2005. It gives a general right of access to all types of information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities.

Any person who makes a request for information from a public authority must, subject to certain exemptions, must be informed whether the public authority holds that information and in most circumstances be supplied with it.

Individuals also have the right of access to information about themselves under the Data Protection Act 1998. (Information on how to access one's own health records can be seen by clicking here).The Freedom of Information Act does not affect the rights already provided by the Data Protection Act, but rather extends this right to all types of information held.

Similar access to any environmental information held by the public authority, subject to certain exemptions, is granted by Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

Public authorities are required to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme setting out the classes of information it holds, the means by which it publishes the information, and whether a charge will be made for the information. The Birmingham Women’s Health Care Trust Publication Scheme can be accessed here.

The Act is enforced by the Information Commissioner, a post that combines regulation of both the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts, and also the Environmental Information Regulations

Making a request for information
If you wish to request information under the Freedom of Information Act, you can e-mail foi.team@bwhct.nhs.uk, or write to:

FOI Enquiries Informatics Department Norton Court Birmingham Women's Health Care NHS Trust Metchley Park Road Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TG

There is no set form of words to use. A request simply has to be in writing (letter, fax or e-mail) and must include valid contact details for us to reply. We have 20 working days to answer a request.

If you wish to obtain more general information on our Publication Scheme, or require further information on freedom of information, data protection, environmental information, commercial re-use of our information or other information governance topics, please contact:

Information Governance Manager Informatics Department Norton Court Birmingham Women’s Health Care NHS Trust Metchley Park Road Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TG

This page was last modified on Thu Feb 02 2012