How do you make a request?

How to request information

If you have a question about anything to do with what we do, we'll always try to help. There isn't much we won't share.

It might be about our performance, what we are spending on goods and services, care standards, or our policies - anything at all. We just need to know, in writing, the nature of your request, and your name and address (this can be an email address), and we will respond within 20 working days.

For some requests we might not be able to release certain information; this could be because it is commercially sensitive, or personal information, and to release it would harm us, our employees or private third parties. However, we promise to always release what we can. We hold information in a variety of digital and physical formats. We'll do our best to help find the information you want; all you have to do is ask us.

Contact us

All requests for information should be made via our online form:

Online request for information form

Or via email to:

oxford@infreemation.co.uk

Or via post to:

Freedom of Information
Information Governance
Room 3A715, Level 3, Academic Centre
John Radcliffe Hospital
Headley Way
Oxford OX3 9DU

Charges

In some instances there may be charges for the release of the information, to cover costs incurred in sending it to you.

Specifically, charges may be made for:

• photocopying
  
• postage and packaging
  
• costs incurred directly as a result of viewing information.

We will always inform you in writing if any fees apply. You then have a choice to pay these fees within three months, or to withdraw your request.

The other factor is how long the request will take to process. The Freedom of Information legislation applies an 'appropriate cost limit' which is equal to £450 (18 hours' worth of work).

If your request will exceed this limit, we will inform you that we cannot process it, and, where possible, suggest ways you might change your request to stay within the 18 hours limit.

This will then reset the deadline for our response.

What is recorded information?

Recorded information includes but is not limited to:

• paper records
  
• emails
  
• information stored on computer
  
• audio or videocassettes
  
• microfiche
  
• maps
  
• photographs
  
• handwritten notes.

If you are unsure of what we might hold, please contact us and we will try to help you ask for the correct information.

Can I see all the information held by the Trust?

The FOI Act sets out several exemptions that may restrict access to some information, for example, when it might harm individuals or non-public bodies, or prevent the Trust from carrying out its work safely and effectively. These exemptions are not designed to obstruct or hide information.

Our guide to the various exemptions is found at the link below:

Guide to exemptions (pdf, 138 KB)

Information about Freedom of Information exemptions can also be found on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

In some circumstances, requests for information (in particular requests for your own information) are not covered by the Freedom of Information Legislation and are covered by the Data Protection Act. The Information Commissioner's Office website contains information about this. We will try and guide you in the right direction if you contact us and information about how to make a request under the data protection act can be found at the link below.

Requesting your medical record

What happens if I am unhappy with the response?

If you are unhappy with our response to your Freedom of Information request, you can apply for an internal review. The request for an internal review must be made within 40 working days.

The steps for doing this are as follows.

1. Please contact us using the contact details at the top of this page: please also include your reference number and reasons for your request for an internal review.
   
2. A review will be undertaken by the Assurance Team.
   
3. We will acknowledge your request for a review within five working days.
   
4. We have an obligation to provide a full response within 20 working days from the day following receipt, in accordance with guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
   

In the event that clarification of an internal review request is required from you, the normal 20 working day time period will not begin until this is received.

In the event that an internal review is complex because it requires consultation with third parties or the relevant information is of a high volume, we may need longer than 20 working days to consider the issues and respond.

If you remain dissatisfied, after receiving the Trust's response to the internal review, you have a right to apply to the ICO for a review.

Further details can be found on their website.

Make a complaint - ICO