This page tells you how to access information about RJAH under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations. It also tells you about your responsibilities - for example, you should check whether information is available through our Publications or from our website before submitting a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

What is the Freedom of Information Act 2000?

From 1 January 2005, the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act has entitled any member o

f the public to ask a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for any recorded information that they keep.

More information about the Act and how it is applied can be found from the website of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The ICO is the UK's independent public body set up to promote access to official information and protect personal information by promoting good practice, ruling on eligible complaints, providing information to individuals and organisations and taking appropriate action when the law is broken.

Publication Scheme

The Publication Scheme is a guide to the information routinely published by RJAH. It is a description of the information about the Trust that is made publicly available. The Trust reviews the Scheme at regular intervals and monitors how it is operating.

The Publication Scheme helps individuals to find information which the Trust publishes. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 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 common law. Maintaining the legal right to patient confidentiality continues to be an important commitment by the Trust.

We routinely publish information in the following classes:

• Who we are and what we do
• What we spend and how we spend it
• What are our priorities and how are we doing
• How we make decisions
• Our policies and procedures
• Lists and registers
• The services we offer

Alongside this we publish information in accordance with the Environmental Information Regulations.

Our Publication Scheme is published as a series of web pages which can be accessed using the links above or the menu on the left.  For those without Internet access, a single printout from the website can be provided by post, by personal application to the Freedom of Information Lead at the Trust. 

What type of information can I ask to have?

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives you the right to request information held by RJAH. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 covers corporate information (e.g. who we are and what we do). It does not cover personal information (e.g. about your individual care and treatment).

If you would like to request information from the Trust, you should first refer to the Publication Scheme (left) to see if the information is already available routinely.

If the information is not listed within our Publication Scheme then you can request it from the Trust.

Information covered by The Act allows you to access recorded information (such as emails, letters, videos and tapes).

How do I ask for information?

All requests for information must be made in writing.

To make a Freedom of Information request please see the below options:

• Form - rjah.disclosure-log.co.uk

• Email - rjah.foi@nhs.net

• Post - Freedom of Information Lead, The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7AG

When you request information, unless an exemption applies:

• we will confirm whether or not we hold the information you have requested
• if we do hold the information, our aim is to provide this within 20 working days unless there is an exemption (for example, because we believe it would not be in the public interest to provide the information)
• if we believe that an exemption applies, we will explain this to you

If the information is refused:

• if we do not supply the information that you have requested, then you can ask us to reconsider your request.  Please contact us using the contact details above, stating the reasons why you wish us to reconsider your request
• you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, which is the national body overseeing implementation of the Freedom of Information Act in public authorities.

You can find out more information about your rights and responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 from the Information Commissioner's Office.

Data Protection Act 1998

This section of our website refers to your rights of access to corporate information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If you would like to find out about your rights of access to your personal health records please visit our Data Protection page.