The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 gives members of the public the right to request official information from public authorities. The aim of the Act is to promote greater openness and transparency.

The Act operates alongside the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) which gives people access to environmental information held by public authorities and the Data Protection Act 2018 which allows individuals to access information held about them – see our Accessing health records and personal information page for details.

The Act applies to most public authorities and governs access to corporate information. The Act’s sets out three main provisions for public authorities, these are to:

  • Inform a person making a request whether information of the description specified in the request is held
  • Communicate the information held to the applicant unless an exemption exists
  • Adopt and maintain a publication scheme - this is information regularly published by an organisation.  Our Guide to Information gives details about the information we routinely make available. 

Before submitting a request for corporate information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, please check to see if the information already available on our website:

Requests must be made in writing and contain your full name and correspondence address.  Please include as much detail as you can to help us identify the information you require. 

To make a request email us at FOIRequests@lhch.nhs.uk or write to Information Governance, Health Records Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE. 

How we process requests

We will acknowledge all requests and consider if the request is valid i.e. is in writing, includes a full name and contact address, and clearly describes the information being requested.  If the request doesn’t describe what information is required we will seek clarification.

We will then check to see what information we hold that relates to your request, if we do not hold any relevant information we will let you know as soon as possible, and we will try to direct you to where you might be able to access the information.

If we hold relevant information we will supply it as soon as possible within the legal deadline set out by the Act i.e. within 20 working days from receipt of the request or clarification on it.  

If some or all of the requested information cannot be provided we will tell you the reason for this. There are some exemptions set out by the Act which we take into account before deciding if information held can be released.

Where it will take more than 18-hours to locate, retrieve and extract the information to respond to your request then we are entitled to refuse the request.  Before refusing a request on this basis we will however work with you to look at other ways of providing the information so that your request does not exceed the statutory limit set by the Act.

Charges

As a general rule a copy of the information available via our website will be free of charge unless to provide the information would require significant amounts of work or photocopying.  Although any charges for internet service provider and personal printing costs would have to be met by the individual. For those without internet access, a single printout from the website is available from our Information Governance Team.

Requests for multiple printouts or copies of archived documents that are no longer accessible or available on the web, may incur a charge (retrieval, photocopying, postage etc.). We will let you know of the cost and charges that will have to be paid in advance. We will not provide printouts of other organisation’s websites.

Patient information leaflets are can be accessed via our website and are available free of charge. Click here to access.

Provision of glossy or other bound paper copies or in some cases a CD Rom, video or other mediums may be subject to a charge.  You will be advised of the charge at the time of your request.  E-mail will be free of charge unless otherwise stated.

Charges will be reviewed on a regular basis. Where a fee is to be charged, notice will be given within 20 working days of receipt of the request.  If we do not receive payment within three months of issuing a Fees Notice, we are no longer obliged to respond to the request.

Making a complaint

If you are not happy with the information provided you have the right to request a review or our response. in the first instance this should be addressed to our Information Governance Manager by email to infogov@lhch.nhs.uk or in writing to Information Governance, Health Records Department, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool, L14 3PE.

If you ask for a review and are dissatisfied with the outcome, you have the right of appeal to the Information Commissioner under Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act. Online at Make a complaint | ICO or in writing to Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. 

In addition to the information made routinely available on our website as part of our Guide to Information, we also publish responses to requests for information handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  You can find downloadable PDFs from our disclosure logs here.