Publication schemes (Freedom of Information Act)

"The Freedom of Information Act places a duty on public authorities to adopt and maintain a publication scheme that must be approved by the Information Commissioner. The scheme lists and defines the classes of information that will be published, indicates how information is or is intended to be published, and states whether charges apply to supplying the information."  Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO].

What is a publication scheme?

The Publication Scheme is a guide to the information routinely published by Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust. The Publication Scheme is available in both hard copy and on this site. The scheme will help you to find all of the information we make publicly available about the Trust. We have designed the Publication Scheme to be a route map so that you can easily find information about the Trust.

It is important to us that the Publication is Scheme meets your needs. Under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Trust has a legal duty to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme for the publication of the Trust’s information. The purpose of the Act is to promote greater transparency by public authorities (of which the Trust is one). We will review the scheme at regular intervals and monitor how it is operating.

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 Act 1998, the Data Protection Act 1998 and at common law. Maintaining the legal right to patient confidentiality continues to be an important commitment on our part. To help with this, we have appointed someone who is called a Caldicott Guardian, and who has responsibility to ensure the protection of patient confidentiality throughout the Trust in accordance with your individual legal rights. The Trust’s Caldicott Guardian is Dr Sarah Woolley.

This information is available in other languages. if you would like to discuss the contents of this document in your own language, and do not have a friend or relative who can translate the information, please telephone the Trust's Equality and Diversity Department on 0121 424 1319.

If you have any questions, comments or complaints about this scheme, please email: Publication Scheme Co-ordinator