NHS Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group

The Freedom of Information Act (2000) legislation gives the right of access to all types of information held by the NHS and its partners.

The Act allows anyone, anywhere in the world, to make a written request for information to the NHS as well as any other UK public body or agency, subject to certain conditions and exemptions, and entitles you to expect a reply within 20 working days.

It gives the public the right to be told whether the information exists and as long as it doesn’t meet one of the exemptions outlined below, to be provided with that information.

How to make a Freedom of Information request

Please submit your request for information in writing, either by:

Post to:

The FOI Co-ordinator
Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group
1 The Causeway
Goring-by-Sea
West Sussex
BN12 6BT

Or email to:

cwsccg.cws-foi@nhs.net

You will receive an acknowledgement that your request has been received and whether it can be responded within the 20 working days.

If more information is needed from you in terms of your request or the information you have asked for is covered by one of the exemptions below, you will be informed as soon as possible.

Our commitment to make information available

We are committed to working in an open and transparent way, and making information available to the public as part of our normal business.

We will make it clear on this website and in our on-going work, how we make information available and how often information is published (for example, board papers and annual reports).

We will also routinely review and update the information we make publicly available on a regular basis to make sure it is up-to-date and accurate.

Key information about the CCG

A number of Freedom of Information requests focus on key information about the CCG.

The links below may help direct you to this information without the need for an individual request.

• Who we are
• What we do
• What we spend
• Our priorities
• How we are run
• Current opportunities to work with us or tender for services
• Previously answered FoI requests

Exemptions

There are some exemptions to when we have to disclose information under the Freedom of Information Act.

These are not used in the majority of cases, and are only used if absolutely necessary.

The exemptions include:

• if the information can easily be accessed by other means – e.g. the internet or published documents
• if the information is personal information
• if the information is provided in confidence (but only if legally enforceable)
• when there is a legal reason not to disclose
• if the information is about national security, defence, the economy, law enforcement, formulation of Government policy, health and safety, communications with Her Majesty or other royalty, international relations, intended for future publication and commercial interests. However, all exemptions in this group must be tested to see if disclosure is in the public interest.

In addition to these exemptions, the CCG can withhold information if it will take more than two-and-a-half days to provide it, or we cannot identify what information is needed (although we have to work with the requester to clarify what is being requested).

The CCG can also withhold information if it is considered that the request is vexatious.