publication scheme & you

Making this publication scheme work for you

In this section, the PCT will publicise any changes made to this Publication Scheme. Procedures to support the operation of this Scheme are being developed and will be made available when they are complete. These procedures will be based upon the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the associated Codes of Practice.

Information Management

As stated in Class 7, many of our policies are currently under development. These include some policies regarding information management. Our information management policies will be based upon models of good practice as recommended by the NHS Information Authority (www.nhsia.nhs.uk). Enquiries about information management in the PCT should be directed to:

Why Have A Publication Scheme?

Under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (there is a link to the Act in Part C below), NHS North Somerset has a legal duty to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme for the publication of information. The purpose of the Act is to promote greater openness by public authorities, of which NHS North Somerset is one.

All Publication Schemes have to be approved by the Information Commissioner (www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk). This Publication Scheme is part of a pilot project to develop a model Publication Scheme for NHS organisations. By October 2003, all NHS organisations were expected to have their own Publication Scheme.

From 2005, the Freedom of Information Act has obliged NHS North Somerset to respond to requests about the information which it holds and is recorded in any form and will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exemptions which the PCT has to take into account before deciding what information can be released. The Publication Scheme will help you to find all the information that the PCT publishes.

Protecting Patient Confidentiality

The Freedom of Information Act does not change the right of patients to protection of their patient confidentiality in accordance with Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention, the Data Protection Act 1998 and at common law. Maintaining the legal right to patient confidentiality continues to be an important commitment for the Trust. To help with this, the Caldicott Guardian has responsibility to ensure the protection of patient confidentiality throughout the PCT in accordance with your legal rights. In NHS North Somerset, the Caldicott Guardian is:

Becky Pollard
Director of Public Health
NHS North Somerset
Tel : 01275 546731
Becky.Pollard@nsomerset-pct.nhs.uk

Information covered by each of the classes described above will be retained in line with NHS North Somerset’s retention and disposal schedules, which comply with circular HSC053/99 and Public Record Office Guidance.

Cost of Information

For the most part, we will charge you only for hard copies or copying onto media (eg CD ROM). Some types of information are available free, but for others there may be a charge which will be requested in advance. The charges will vary according to how information is made available and will be reviewed regularly. Charging details are as follows:

PCT website: www.northsomerset.nhs.uk - information is free of charge although any Internet Service provider charges and personal printing costs would have to be met by the individual requesting information;

Single page print-out from the website - available free of charge by post from the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator, or by personal application at PCT Headquarters. We will not provide printouts of another organisation’s websites;

Multiple page print-outs from the website – there may be a charge to cover the cost of photocopying and postage. We will let you know the cost and charges that have to be made, in advance;

Copies of documents that are not available on the website – there may be a charge to cover the cost of photocopying and postage. We will let you know the cost and charges that have to be made, in advance;

NB: for archived documents not listed in this Publication Scheme there may be a cost for retrieval. We will let you know all costs and charges that have to be made, in advance;

Leaflets, brochures or booklets on, for example, services we offer to the public – these are free of charge;

“Glossy” or other bound paper copies, CD Rom, video or other mediums – a charge may be made for information in these formats. Please contact the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator for further information;

E-mail – information sent by e-mail will usually be free of charge, unless stated otherwise.

The cost for single sided copies will be 5p per sheet, plus postage and packaging up to a maximum of £60 per document.

These charges will be reviewed regularly and this section of the Scheme updated accordingly.

Copyright

The material available through this Publication Scheme is subject to the PCT’s 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. For HMSO Guidance Notes on a range of copyright issues, see the HMSO web site: www.hmso.gov.uk/guides.htm

or contact:

HMSO Licensing Division
St Clements House
2-16 Colegate

C. USEFUL RESOURCES
The following websites and publications relate to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the development of Publication Schemes:

www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
www.lcd.gov.uk
www.foi-uk.org
www.hmso.gov.uk/guides.htm
Code of Practice on Openness in the NHS (1995) – www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/codemain.htm
Freedom of Information Act 2000 - www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000036.htm
Freedom of Information Act 2000 Explanatory notes – www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/en/2000en36.htm
NHS Freedom of Information Implementation Site Code of Practice under Section 45 & 46 FOI Act 2000 – http://www.lcd.gov.uk/foi/codesprac.htm

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