The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) reflects the government’s commitment to promote greater openness by public authorities. The Act's purpose is to ensure that all areas of public bodies, including the NHS are open and transparent, ensuring that more information about public services are made readily available.
The Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board (the Health Board) recognises that the public have the right to know how the services of the Health Board are organised and run. They have the right to know which services are being provided, the standards of services that are expected, the targets that are being set and the results achieved, together with how much it costs to provide the services it offers.
Briefly outlined below are details of how members of the public can make requests for information to the Health Board and the type of information available to them.
Information can only be provided that would be given to anybody who asked for it, or that would be suitable for the general public to see. It does not take into account who is asking for it or why they want it.
Members of the public can ask for any information that they think the Health Board may hold although some information may be exempt, for example, it would be unfair to reveal personal details about somebody else.
Requests for information must be made in writing, for example, in a letter or an email, providing your name and a postal or email address for the Health Board to respond.
Freedom of Information Requests can be sent by email to: BCU.FOI@wales.nhs.uk
Or write to:
Information Governance Office
Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board
Wrexham Maelor Hospital
Croesnewydd Road
Wrexham
LL13 7TD
If you require any assistance accessing information from Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board please contact the Information Governance Team on 03000 858361.
When making a request for information, be as clear as possible by pinpointing the specific information required to assist the Health Board in responding to the request. Confirm what format would be preferential to receive the information in, for example, electronically or as a hard copy.
The Health Board will reply to requests within 20 working days. It may:
To assist the public in accessing such information and in compliance with the Act, the Health Board has produced a Publication Scheme. This is a complete guide to information which the Health Board routinely publishes, in compliance with the Model Publication Scheme produced by the Information Commissioner.
To assist the public, the Health Board has produced a Disclosure Log which briefly outlines the previous requests received by the organisation, together with the relevant responses issued under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004..
The Health Board has also produced a COVID-19 Disclosure Log which outlines the previous request received by the organisation along with relevant responses issued under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in relation to COVID-19.
Process: The selection of what we publish is made by considering if we believe that there may be a wider public interest, when information is frequently requested, or when information is not already available elsewhere. This will be done on a monthly cycle to allow any updates or changes to responses issued (as a result of an internal review) to be taken into account. Personal details such as names, addresses etc are redacted to protect the requesters’ privacy.
Should you have any queries regarding the disclosure log or to submit a new Freedom of Information Request, please email BCU.FOI@wales.nhs.uk.
If you are not happy with the way your request has been handled by the Health Board, you are entitled to make a complaint by Contacting Us.
All complaints will be dealt with in accordance with the Health Board’s ‘Freedom of Information / Environmental Information Regulations Complaints Policy’. Should you not be satisfied with the Health Board’s response to your complaint, you then have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Please note: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was formed on 1st October 2009 by combining North Wales NHS Trust (formally Conwy & Denbighshire NHS Trust and North East Wales NHS Trust), North West Wales NHS Trust and the six North Wales Local Health Boards.