Department of Health and Social Care
178 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 100.0%
The Freedom of Information requests reveal a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) under intense scrutiny regarding workforce stability, procurement transparency, and clinical performance. A dominant narrative is the struggle to manage staffing levels, evidenced by repeated requests on bank staff costs, zero-hours contracts, and the 'MARS' redundancy scheme. The authority has been largely transparent about the *existence* of these issues—disclosing relocation packages for nurses and the financial cost of redundancies—but often cites 'excessive compilation effort' or 'data limitations' when asked for granular breakdowns of costs or specific staff categories. This suggests a reactive administrative culture where data is held in silos, making comprehensive analysis difficult for the public.
Key Cases
Case 355345 — This case reveals a significant ethical transparency regarding vaccine ingredients. The authority confirmed that specific vaccines use historical cell lines from legal abortions in the 1960s but explicitly stated this information is not currently provided to patients on consent forms, raising questions about informed consent practices.
Case 355291 — A rare and specific disclosure regarding the Isle of Man TT, revealing the exact amounts recovered from private insurance for race-related medical treatments and confirming that no competitors required Intensive Therapy Unit admission in 2017, providing concrete data on the health impact of major sporting events.
Case 355301 — This case highlights a potential conflict of interest involving the Minister (Hon K Beecroft) and her company, Manx Home Care. While transfer statistics were released, the authority admitted it did not hold the specific contract files, suggesting a fragmentation of records or a deliberate separation of procurement data from the health department.
Case 355253 — The request regarding the 2006 Everall Report (a major child welfare inquiry) was refused on the grounds that the DHSC does not hold the implementation data, which was assigned to the Chief Secretary's Office. This points to a systemic lack of accountability tracking for long-term child protection reforms.
Case 361157 — This case quantifies the cost of the Mutual Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS), disclosing the total payout and annual savings. It serves as a concrete financial metric for the department's strategy to reduce staffing costs through voluntary redundancies.
Related FOI Stories
Dental Services and UDA Performance — #355317, #355117, #355319, #355331, #420033
Workforce Crisis: Recruitment, Retention, and MARS — #355311, #355143, #355153, #355357, #355281
Procurement, Contracts, and Ministerial Conflicts of Interest — #355217, #355161, #355247, #355301, #358156
Clinical Services: Endoscopy, Waiting Lists, and Procedures — #355115, #355219, #355223, #355263, #355387
Public Health, Vaccination, and Substance Abuse — #356085, #355133, #355145, #355229, #355333
All (178)
Information not held (271) ·
All information sent (178) ·
Some information sent but not all held (97) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (44) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (17) ·
Not upheld (12) ·
Upheld - partial (11) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (4) ·
Not required to fulfill request (4) ·
Upheld - full (3) ·
Repeated request (1) ·
Neither confirm or deny information held (1) ·
Decision Notice - Complaint upheld (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-28 | Patient transport services | All information sent |
| The requester asked why Bus Vannin was selected over the Red Cross for patient transport services and whether the Red Cross offered free services. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that the Red Cross bid exceeded the budget, leading to a cancelled tender and an agreement with Bus Vannin, while confirming the Red Cross did not provide free transport services. | ||
| 2018-08-20 | Operations | All information sent |
| The request sought data on cancelled pre-arranged operations and unoccupied hospital beds over a three-month period in 2018. The Department of Health and Social Care provided the requested statistics, noting that bed occupancy data was reported at 8pm rather than the requested 10pm. | ||
| 2018-06-29 | Orthodontic Procurement | All information sent |
| The requester asked for intention to tender documents regarding the 2017 Primary Care Orthodontic Services procurement, and the Department of Health and Social Care provided a full response including a guide to the competitive tender process and frequently asked questions. | ||
| 2018-06-18 | Number of available beds | All information sent |
| The requester asked for data on empty hospital beds at 8am and instances of inappropriate ward admissions over three months. The authority provided bed availability data for 7:30am but refused the 8am specific data and ward breakdown due to lack of routine collection, while confirming all patients were admitted to appropriate wards. | ||
| 2018-06-15 | dental patient charges | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total amount of patient charges deducted from dentists' scheduled payments for the financial years 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018. The Department of Health and Social Care provided the specific total figures for each of these years in full compliance with the request. | ||
| 2018-06-11 | Salary Increases | All information sent |
| A request was made to estimate the cost of a 6.5% salary increase for all hospital staff based on current posts. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed an estimated annual cost of £4.1 million, noting that the figure depends on vacancy levels and staffing distribution. | ||
| 2018-06-11 | Ambulance calls for falls within the home | All information sent |
| A request was made for statistics on 999 ambulance calls for elderly residents falling at home, specifically asking for cases with no injury or hospital conveyance. The authority disclosed that age and exact location data are not captured, but provided total fall call statistics and the number of calls resulting in no conveyance for the period May 2017 to May 2018. | ||
| 2018-05-31 | Cost of gluten free foods on prescription | All information sent |
| The request sought the cost of gluten-free staple foods on prescription for financial years 2012/13 to 2017/18, including a breakdown by patient age. The Department of Health and Social Care provided cost data for 2013/14 to 2017/18 but stated that age-specific breakdowns could not be provided because the prescription pricing bureau does not collect demographic data. | ||
| 2018-05-15 | Care of Elderly | All information sent |
| A request was made for statistics on falls resulting in serious injury or death among elderly patients at Noble's Hospital within specific timeframes. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed five-year data showing 27 serious injuries and 2 deaths, with specific timing details for the fatalities. | ||
| 2018-04-27 | Nurses | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care for data on vacant nursing and care assistant posts at Nobles and Ramsey hospitals, as well as sickness absence figures. The authority disclosed all requested information, providing specific vacancy counts for March 2017 and April 2018, and the number of staff absent on April 1, 2018. | ||
| 2018-04-20 | Noble's Hospital - consultants | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care sought data on consultant turnover, locum employment, and bowel surgery availability at Noble's Hospital. The authority disclosed full statistics on consultant departures over five years, confirmed seven current locum consultants, and verified that bowel surgery is performed locally. | ||
| 2018-04-20 | Mutual Agreed Resignation Scheme | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care for the total amount paid to employees under the Mutual Agreed Resignation Scheme in the last year. The authority disclosed the specific financial figures for the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 financial years, totaling £574,733.38. | ||
| 2018-04-20 | Whistleblowing policy at Noble's Hospital | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the whistleblowing policy at Noble's Hospital and whether it differs from other Isle of Man Government departments. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that a single policy applies to all government staff, including Noble's Hospital, and released the attached document. | ||
| 2018-04-16 | Please reference 408233 | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a list of UK dentists practicing on the Isle of Man under GDS contracts and those working for the Department of Health and Social Care. The authority disclosed the names and details of two GDS contract providers but stated that information regarding departmental staff was already reasonably accessible via the FOI disclosure log. | ||
| 2018-04-13 | Organ Donation 2 | All information sent |
| The requester sought all communications, data, and meeting details regarding the Organ Donation Consultation between the Department of Health and Social Care and Mr Martyn Perkins MHK. The authority responded by sending an attached PDF document containing the requested information, with names of junior staff members redacted. | ||
| 2018-04-05 | Free Milk Scheme | All information sent |
| A request was made for the number of households and total volume of milk supplied under the Isle of Man's Free Milk Scheme in 2017. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that 385 households were claiming benefits as of April 2018 and 115,228 pints of liquid milk were supplied in 2017. | ||
| 2018-04-04 | GP / Meds | All information sent |
| The request sought contracts, cost breakdowns, and complaint statistics for the Manx Emergency Doctors Service (MEDS) from 2014 to 2018. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the contract template, detailed financial costs for GPs and locums, and specific complaint data for the requested periods. | ||
| 2018-03-27 | GDS contracted UK qualification | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the qualifications of Isle of Man NHS dentists holding General Dentistry Service contracts, specifically asking for the number with UK qualifications and the countries of origin for others. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed a full list of 24 providers, confirming that 11 obtained their qualifications in the UK while providing the specific countries for the remainder. | ||
| 2018-03-13 | Contracted UDA's and provider performances | All information sent |
| 2018-03-12 | Information regarding underperformance of UDAs | All information sent |
| The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed detailed tables showing Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) contracted, completed, and achievement percentages for various dental providers across the 2014/2015, 2015/2016, and 2016/2017 financial years. The response also included specific year-end agreements regarding how providers addressed shortfalls, such as financial reimbursement or creating capacity for new NHS patients. | ||
| 2018-03-06 | Cardiac arrests statistics | All information sent |
| 2018-02-20 | What was the total cost of the 8 folk who accepted Mars? | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for the total cost associated with eight individuals who accepted Mars. The authority responded by disclosing the total cost and the resulting annual savings. | ||
| 2018-02-08 | Radiographic Aide | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the banding points awarded to the Radiographic Aide post at Nobles Hospital under the Agenda for Change process. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that the post scored 235 points, placing it within MPTC Band 3. | ||
| 2018-02-02 | MARS | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care regarding the number of employees who took MARS since its reintroduction in December 2017. The authority disclosed that 8 staff members had agreed to terminate their employment under the scheme by February 2018. | ||
| 2018-01-18 | HPV Vaccine | All information sent |
| The request sought annual HPV vaccination statistics, consent procedures, and adverse reaction reporting data for the Isle of Man since 2008. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed vaccination uptake rates from 2010 to 2016, clarified that Patient Information Leaflets are provided at the time of vaccination rather than beforehand, and explained that adverse reaction data is aggregated by the UK's MHRA and not returned to the local department. | ||
| 2018-01-16 | Staffing details | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of Acting Executive Officers and statistics on capability procedures within the Department of Health and Social Care. The authority refused to provide data on Acting Executive Officers due to database limitations but disclosed that 387 capability procedure cases have been recorded since 2014. | ||
| 2018-01-11 | Unauthorised Computer Access | All information sent |
| The request sought the number of Department of Health and Social Care employees facing disciplinary proceedings for unauthorized computer access since 2011. The authority disclosed data for 2013 to 2016 but refused to provide information for 2011 and 2012 due to database limitations. | ||
| 2018-01-10 | Drs reclassified as Consultants | All information sent |
| A request was made regarding the reclassification of doctors as consultants at Noble's Hospital and Royal College approvals. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that no doctors were reclassified in the last 12 months, but four new consultant posts were created by converting locum expenditure. | ||
| 2017-12-26 | A&E/ Renal Dept closure | All information sent |
| The requester asked for A&E waiting times on December 26, 2017, and several questions regarding the Renal Department closure, but withdrew all questions except the waiting time inquiry. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the specific average waiting time for that date and provided comparative attendance statistics. | ||
| 2017-12-19 | Private Contract hours/Hope Home Contract | All information sent |
| The request sought names, hourly rates, and payment amounts for private home care providers commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care. The authority disclosed the names of providers and their weekly hours but withheld specific hourly rates and total payments due to commercial interest exemptions. | ||
| 2017-12-18 | Hope Home Contract | All information sent |
| The requester inquired about extra work and payments made to Manx Cleaners Ltd and Manx Home Care beyond their cleaning contract. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that the companies are separately commissioned to provide 66 hours of domiciliary care per week, which is paid for outside the cleaning contract. | ||
| 2017-11-28 | Vaccine Ingredients | All information sent |
| The requester asked about vaccine suppliers and whether the Health Service discloses the use of aborted human foetus cell lines in consent forms. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed they purchase via the Immform system, explained that specific vaccines use historical cell lines from legal abortions in the 1960s, and stated that this information is not currently provided to patients on consent forms. | ||
| 2017-11-20 | MARS | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the approval dates for the MARS scheme and the timeline of organizational restructuring at Noble's Hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed specific approval dates, meeting schedules, and clarified that the requested Director of Operations post does not exist. | ||
| 2017-11-14 | Hand therapies data | All information sent |
| The requester asked for hand therapy referral data from 2004 to 2017, but the Department of Health and Social Care only provided statistics for the period between October 2011 and October 2017 due to the applicability of the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2017-11-13 | Paul Burnett's report | All information sent |
| A request was made regarding the Paul Burnett report into Children and Family Services, specifically asking about social workers failing HCPC standards and subsequent actions. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that the professional reviewers did not identify any staff who failed to reach the expected standards. | ||
| 2017-11-07 | RDCH Operations | All information sent |
| A request was made for the number and types of operations performed at Ramsey Hospital Theatre between May and November 2017. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that 111 operations took place, all of which were dermatology procedures. | ||
| 2017-11-01 | Number of Endoscopy procedures for Aug, Sept & Oct '17 | All information sent |
| A request was made for the number of endoscopy procedures performed at Nobles Hospital in August, September, and October 2017. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the data, revealing a total of 1,105 procedures for that period, representing a 35.4% increase compared to the same timeframe in 2016. | ||
| 2017-10-30 | Dental Services | All information sent |
| The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for data on NHS dental services, providing specific UDA contract figures for 2017-2018 and achievement rates for 2016-2017, while directing the requester to previous FOI responses for historical data from 2014-2016. | ||
| 2017-10-28 | Cost of nurses, admin, waiting periods | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care sought data on departmental costs, staff vacancies, and joint replacement waiting times. The authority disclosed estimated and actual costs, specific vacancy numbers for medical staff, and waiting periods, but withheld exact administrative headcounts and procedure costs due to lack of data or excessive compilation effort. | ||
| 2017-10-27 | Walk and Talk | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total annual cost of rewards and staff wages for the 'Walk and Talk' program, but the Department of Health and Social Care refused the request because they do not hold the information. | ||
| 2017-10-27 | Drug and Alochol abuse | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for statistics on drug and alcohol abuse admissions to Nobles Hospital over the last three years. The authority disclosed full data including admission counts by financial year and a comprehensive list of specific drug diagnoses involved. | ||
| 2017-10-23 | Emergency Dental Services | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request sought annual costs, practitioner breakdowns, and patient statistics for Isle of Man emergency dental services from 2012 to 2017. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed total annual costs and monthly patient attendance figures but refused requests for per-practitioner breakdowns and per-patient payment rates, citing that creating such data is not required under the Act. | ||
| 2017-10-23 | UDAs etc | All information sent |
| A request was made for annual data on contracted and completed dental activity units (UDAs) and associated financial reimbursements for general and orthodontic services from 2012 to 2017. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed specific financial figures for uncompleted UDAs in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, while directing the requester to previously published documents for the remaining data. | ||
| 2017-10-13 | Cost of Bank staff | All information sent |
| A request was made for hourly rates and total costs of bank staff and managers at the Department of Health and Social Care for the 2016/17 financial year. The authority provided hourly rates in an appendix and an estimated total cost for bank staff, but withheld exact totals for bank staff and manager costs citing excessive compilation effort and reasonable accessibility. | ||
| 2017-10-12 | A copy of the West Midlands Health Inspection Reports and action plans taken. | All information sent |
| The Department of Health and Social Care provided action plans and progress reports related to West Midlands Health Inspection Reviews for various services, while noting that the full inspection reports were already publicly accessible online. | ||
| 2017-10-10 | Medications | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of daily medications costing over specific thresholds and the number of people taking them, but the Department of Health and Social Care could not provide this specific data due to variable pricing and prescription durations. Instead, the authority disclosed a list of the top 25 most expensive drugs issued over the last 12 months, including their costs and quantities. | ||
| 2017-10-10 | New Zealand expenses | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for the total and broken-down costs of a trip to New Zealand by Howard Quayle and Mr Charters. The authority responded by disclosing a detailed expense table totaling £15,846.25, covering flights, accommodation, transport, and other costs. | ||
| 2017-10-09 | MHC Contract | All information sent |
| The request sought details regarding the tender process and contract extension for the Hon K Beecroft company with the Department of Health and Social Care. The authority disclosed that a competitive tender was held in 2012 with three applicants, and the contract was extended to its maximum five-year term, concluding in January 2018. | ||
| 2017-09-25 | Private Insurance Recovery and TT | All information sent |
| The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the specific amounts recovered from insurance for TT-related medical treatments and confirmed that no TT competitors or visitors spent a night in the Intensive Therapy Unit in 2017. | ||
| 2017-09-01 | FOI Team | All information sent |
| The requester asked four questions regarding the staffing, responsibilities, and records management duties of the Department of Health and Social Care's Freedom of Information team. The department disclosed that two staff members act as FOI Co-ordinators within the broader Information Governance Team, which shares responsibilities with a separate Records Management Team for patient data. | ||
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