Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 gives members of the public the right to access information held by public sector organisations. The Act means we are obliged to make certain pieces of information available online and provide information to members of the public on request.

How do I find out something about your hospitals?

We publish a lot of information about us on our website. Before you submit a Freedom of Information request, please first see if your enquiry can be answered by one of the following:

• Who we are and what we do
• The services we offer
• What are our priorities and what are we doing?
• Our reports and publications
• Our Board papers
• Our Patient Information Leaflets

Invoice spend above £25,000

• Invoice spend above £25,000: 2014–2015
• Invoice spend above £25,000: 2015–2016
• Invoice spend above £25,000: 2016–2017
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT April 17 - March 18
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT April 2018
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT May 2018
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT June 2018
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT July 18
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT August 18
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT September 18
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT October 18
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT November 18
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT December 18
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT January 19
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT February 19
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT March 19
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT April 19
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT May 19
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT June 2019
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT July 2019
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT August 2019
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT September 2019
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT October 2019
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT November 2019
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT December 2019
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT January 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT February 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT March 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT April 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT May 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT June 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT July 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT August 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT September 2020
• Invoice spend above £25,000 inc VAT October 2020
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT November 2020
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT December 2020
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT January 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT February 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT March 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT April 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT May 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT June 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT July 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT August 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT September 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT October 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT November 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT December 2021
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT January 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT February 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT March 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT April 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT May 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT June 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT July 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT August 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT September 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT October 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT November 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT December 2022
• Invoice spend over £25,000 inc VAT January 2023

Procurement Limits for Quotations and Tendering.

The limits for obtaining competitive quotations/tendering have changed. The new limits are:

• Up to £10,000 – Direct award to a single supplier
• £10,001 - £50,000 - Minimum 3 quotations or tender exercise.
• £50,001 to Public Contracts Threshold – Formal tender procedure or further competition through an approved framework
• Above Public Procurement Threshold – Formal Tender Procedure in accordance with current Procurement Legislation

Standing Orders

Standing Financial Instructions

Scheme of Delegation

How do I submit a Freedom of Information request?

If you cannot find the information you are looking for having accessed the links above then please email us to submit a Freedom of Information request.

Please note that requests can only be processed if submitted in writing and if they include your name and address. Requests should include a clear and specific description of the information you are seeking - unclear requests cannot be processed.

Alternatively you can submit your request by writing to;

Trust Freedom of Information Co-ordinator
Legal Services Department
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Robinswood House
Gloucestershire
GL1 3NN

If you are unhappy with the Trust's response to your FOI request, please contact:

Freedom of Information Lead
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Legal Services Department
Cheltenham General Hospital
Sandford Road
Cheltenham
GL53 7AN

When will my request be answered?

Once we have received your request we aim to respond within 20 working days or sooner. When responding we will first state whether or not we hold the information you are looking for.

Can my request be refused?

The Trust's commitment to publish information excludes any information which can legitimately be withheld under the exemptions set out in the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

This means that sometimes not all of the material can be made available for publication or the material made available may be edited. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 has 23 clauses of exemptions. Where individual classes are subject to exemptions, the main reasons are, for example, the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This applies to most Classes within the Publication Scheme.

Will there be a charge for my request?

Where the time involved in us investigating whether we hold the information and then obtaining the information requested exceeds a cost of £450, we are entitled to refuse the request.

In this case we will contact you to establish whether you wish to:

• proceed and pay for the request to be undertaken
• amend the request so the cost is reduced to below £450
• no longer proceed with the request

What if I am unhappy with the Trust's response?

In the first instance, you can raise your concerns through the Trust's internal complaints procedure by writing to:

Freedom of Information Lead
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Legal Services Department
Cheltenham General Hospital
Sandford Road
Cheltenham
GL53 7AN

If you are still dissatisfied following the appeals process you have the right under the Freedom of Information Act to apply to the Information Commissioner seeking resolution to the matter.

Copyright and re-use of public sector information

The information and material that is routinely published is subject to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's copyright unless otherwise indicated. Unless expressly indicated on the material to the contrary it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium, provided it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading manner. Where any of the copyright items are being re-published or copied to others, you must identify the source of the material and acknowledge the copyright status. Permission to reproduce material does not extend to any material accessed through the Trust website that is the copyright of third parties. You must obtain authorisation to reproduce such material from the copyright holders concerned. For further guidance on a range of copyright issues, see the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI)

or write to:

London Office
OPSI
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ

or

Kew Office
OPSI
Kew
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 4DU

Crown copyright, Licensing and Public Sector Information: Tel 020 8876 3444

Legislation and Command Paper Publishing Enquiries: Tel 020 8876 3334

Under the Data Protection Act 2018 you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you.

You also have rights to request rectification or erasure of your personal data in some cases, or to object to the use of your personal data. To find out more about these rights and how to exercise them please see the 'What are my rights?' section: Privacy Notice.

You are able to request a copy of your health records by contacting the team.