Access to Information

Information about your personal treatment and care will normally be something you will discuss with the healthcare professionals with whom you come into contact with.  However, there may be other issues about which you would like further information and in this part of the website we explain how you can get such information.

Click on the title below to read more about this:
 

• Subject Access Requests under the Data Protection Act 2018

  If you want to ask us for information which we may hold about you then this will be dealt with under the Data Protection Act 2018.  This includes health records, employee records and any other record we may hold about you such as complaints / incident reports.  Details of who to contact regarding the type of record you wish to request access to are:

  Subject Access Requests for Health Records
  If you wish to make a Subject Access Request for requesting access to your health records, you should write to the:

  Access to Health Records Department
  Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
  Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
  Knowsley House
  Wigan Lane
  Wigan
  WN1 2NN

  In your letter, you must specify the kind of information you wish to be made available to you and enclose proof of identity - a copy of a formal document or bill with your name and address on it or copy of your driving licence or passport.

  Alternatively, you can download a Subject Access Request for Health Records Form here:

  Freedom of information - Form

  Freedom of information, access to information request.

  Subject Access Request For Health Records Form

  
  Subject Access requests for Human Resource Records
  If you wish to make a Subject Access Request for accessing your human resource records you should write to:

  Human Resources Department (Subject Access Requests)
  Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
  Buckingham Row
  Brick Kiln Lane
  Wigan
  WN1 1XX

  Subject Access requests for other personal information we hold
  If you wish to request access to personal information we hold about you which is not a health record or an employee record, please contact:
  
  Access to Records Department
  Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
  Knowlsey House
  Wigan Lane
  Wigan
  WN1 2NN

  Email: DPARequests@wwl.nhs.uk

  PLEASE NOTE: From 8th July 2019, our default method of sending records will be via a download service. If you wish to still receive your records via post, please specify on the request form.

   

  We have one calendar month to provide the information you ask for.  If your request is deemed to be complex this is extended by a further two months. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the way in which we deal with your subject access request, please contact the Information Governance Department.  If you are still unhappy with the response you receive, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).  The ICO regulate the Data Protection Act 1998.  Their contact details are:

  Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
  Wycliffe House
  Water Lane
  Wilmslow
  Cheshire
  SK9 5AE

  www.ico.org.uk

  Or you can complete the online enquiry form - click here to be taken to the form.

   

• Freedom of Information Act 2000

  Publication Scheme

  In order to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, public sector organisations such as ours, have to routinely publish information whenever possible.
  
  The Information Commissioner, who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, has drawn up what is called a Model Publication Scheme for all public sector organisations.

  Most of the information we make routinely available can be accessed through our website. Please click here to view our Publication Scheme.

  If you cannot find information via the website this please contact the Information Governance Department.

   

• Freedom of Information Requests

  Accessing information which is not included in the Publication Scheme - Freedom of Information Requests
  
  If you would like information which is not on our website, you may ask us for it in accordance with further provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. 
  
  Requests for such information should be sent to:

  Information Governance Department
  Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
  Suite 9
  Buckingham Row
  Brick Kiln Lane
  Wigan
  WN1 1XX

  Or you can complete our online Freedom of Information Request Form by clicking here.
  
  We have to deal with requests within 20 working days.  If you make a request and are not satisfied with the way in which we deal with it you may ask us to review any decision we make.  If you wish us to undertake such a review you should write to the Information Governance Department.  A review will be carried by a Non Executive Director who has had no involvement in the original decision or process.

  You can find our responses to previous FOI Requests by visiting our Disclosure Log.
  If you remain dissatisfied at the conclusion of any review you may complain to the Information Commissioner (ICO).

• Publication Scheme Fees and Charges

  The Freedom of Information Act and the associated Fees Regulations stipulate that we cannot levy a fee for information unless there is a statutory basis for doing so.  However, we are allowed to charge for disbursements related to the provision of information and any reformatting requested by the applicant provided we ensure that applicants are aware of any charges which may be made.

  No charges will be made for any information accessed via our website.
  
  For any information which is provided in hard copy and where there is no statutory provisions for charges, we may charge for photocopying (50p per sheet), reformatting (applicant will be informed prior to producing information regarding the charge dependent upon the amount of materials used e.g. CD, paper etc) and postage.

• Freedom of Information Request Fees and Charges

  Depending on what information you have requested, there maybe a charge for the copying of the materials that you are seeking. In the majority of cases the Trust will absorb this cost.

  If it is necessary to make a charge we will contact you to confirm whether you still wish to proceed with the request.

  In estimating whether a request would exceed the appropriate limit (£450 - this is the amount it is has cost us to determine whether we hold the information, locate the information, retrieve the information and extract the information) we can then ask for a fee.

  Where the time involved in us undertaking activities in trying to retrieve the information exceeds 18 hours (equals £450 at a cost of £25 per hour per person) we can then ask for a fee.

  In these case we will contact you to establish whether you wish to:
  amend the request so that the cost is reduced to below £450
  no longer proceed with the request

  If you wish to still obtain the information, the maximum fee that can be charged is described in the Fees Regulations - click here to view this document and is the sum of:
  the costs which the Trust may take into account in calculating that the appropriate limit (£450) was exceeded
  communication costs
  staff time, at £25 per hour per person

  Where the cost of compliance does not exceed the appropriate limit (£450), the request must be complied with and the information released unless an exemption applies.

• Further Information

  If you would like further information about the provision of information, please contact:

  Information Governance Department
  Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
  Suite 9
  Buckingham Row
  Brick Kiln Lane
  Wigan
  WN1 1XX