Department of Health and Social Care
271 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 65.7%
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
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-18 | MT Buyout | Information not held |
| The requester asked for all correspondence held by the interim Health and Social Care Minister regarding Manx Telecom's offer for a government buyout. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that they do not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2024-11-04 | Enhertu for secondary breast cancer patients in the Island? | Information not held |
| A request was made for data on secondary breast cancer patients eligible for Enhertu and details on NICE guideline exceptions, but the Department of Health and Social Care refused to provide the information as it is not held by them. | ||
| 2024-10-22 | ADHD service business case submitted by CMHSA to Manx Care | Information not held |
| The requester sought a business case and related communications regarding an adult ADHD service submitted by CMHSA to Manx Care. The Department of Health and Social Care refused the request stating they do not hold the information as it is managed by the operationally independent Manx Care. | ||
| 2024-10-08 | Cataract Operations | Information not held |
| A request was made for cataract surgery waiting list numbers, monthly operation averages, and clarification on re-listing procedures for the second eye. The Department of Health and Social Care refused the request stating they do not hold the information, which is likely held by Manx Care. | ||
| 2024-10-02 | 713365 | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the number of patients registered with each GP on the Isle of Man, but the Department of Health and Social Care refused the request stating they do not hold the information. | ||
| 2024-09-10 | Non residents claiming benefits | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care for data on non-residents and asylum seekers claiming benefits. The department refused the request, stating they do not hold the information and it may be held by the Treasury. | ||
| 2024-08-30 | Costs of 'covid' from 1st Jan 2019 'til today Friday 30th August 2024 | Information not held |
| A request was made for the total costs of COVID-19 measures including masks, tests, legal fees, and vaccines from January 2019 to August 2024. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that the information is not held, citing a practical refusal reason and suggesting the requester contact Manx Care or the Cabinet Office instead. | ||
| 2024-07-25 | 5G Rollout/Testing | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care regarding the rollout or testing of 5G on the Isle of Man. The department responded that they do not hold this information and suggested the requester contact the Communications & Utilities Regulatory Authority (CURA) instead. | ||
| 2024-07-23 | working from home | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on employees working from home at the Department of Health and Social Care between December 2022 and December 2023. The authority refused the request stating they do not hold the specific data, as home working is monitored individually by line managers rather than centrally recorded. | ||
| 2024-07-23 | Homecare & respite for special, complex & additional needs | Information not held |
| A request was made for statistics on homecare and respite services for school-age children with complex needs, but the Department of Health and Social Care refused to provide the information. | ||
| 2024-07-22 | Emergency Hospital Admissions | Information not held |
| A request was made for statistics on emergency hospital admissions with multiple chronic conditions at Nobles Hospital for specific years, but the Department of Health and Social Care refused to provide the data. | ||
| 2024-07-16 | Yellowcard reports for all vaccines from MHRA | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Department of Health and Social Care for details on MHRA Yellowcard data sharing agreements and specific vaccine adverse event reports for the Isle of Man. The authority responded that they do not hold the requested information and confirmed there is no existing agreement or process to share Yellowcard data with the MHRA. | ||
| 2024-07-11 | Covid boosters | Information not held |
| The requester asked for total numbers of individuals receiving Covid boosters in 2023-2024 and first vaccinations in 2020-2023. The Department of Health and Social Care refused the request, stating the information is not held by them and may be held by Manx Care. | ||
| 2024-07-11 | CEO vacancy job description and advertising 2019/2020 | Information not held |
| The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for information regarding a 2019/2020 CEO vacancy, NHS secondment pools, and work permit outsourcing by stating the information is not held. | ||
| 2024-07-10 | DHSC and Manx Care's powers in 2020 in respects of private dentists | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the legislation under which a dentist and co-workers visited a private surgery in September 2020. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that it does not hold this information, citing a practical refusal reason as the data may be held by Manx Care following a 2021 restructuring. | ||
| 2024-07-02 | Residential qualification ignored? | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics and decision-making details regarding overrides of the five-year residency requirement for three specific benefits over the past ten years. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that the information is not held by them and may be held by the Treasury. | ||
| 2024-07-01 | Covid Jabs at pharmacies | Information not held |
| The requester asked about discussions regarding private COVID-19 vaccinations at Isle of Man pharmacies and when such services would be available. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that they do not hold records of specific inquiries on this topic, though they noted discussions have occurred regarding GP-led vaccination programs. | ||
| 2024-06-11 | The Calculation of Contribution Based JSA for Temporary Workers | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care regarding how temporary employment income affects Contribution Based Job Seekers Allowance eligibility. The authority responded that the information is not held by them and may be held by the Treasury. | ||
| 2024-05-28 | Name the people who have accessed my medical records | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the names, reasons, and dates of individuals who accessed their medical records since the Data Protection Act came into force. The Department of Health and Social Care refused the request, stating they do not hold the information as it is managed by Manx Care. | ||
| 2024-05-16 | Information regarding Braddan Commissioner's Roundhouse | Information not held |
| The requester asked for legal evidence regarding the Department of Health and Social Care's right to restrict access to the Braddan Commissioner's Roundhouse and correspondence between the Health Minister and Chief Executive. The Department responded that it does not hold the requested information, citing practical refusal reasons and directing the applicant to other government resources for land ownership and public rights of way data. | ||
| 2024-05-03 | Rheumatology | Information not held |
| 2024-05-01 | Covid Vaccine Contracts | Information not held |
| A request for copies of Covid vaccine contracts procured for the Isle of Man was denied by the Department of Health and Social Care because they do not hold the information. The authority indicated that the contracts are likely held by Manx Care following a 2021 restructuring that separated policy from service delivery. | ||
| 2024-03-28 | Inflammatory bowel disease numbers in the community | Information not held |
| 2024-03-22 | Health record + CAMHS | Information not held |
| 2024-03-19 | *Personal identifiable information removed* - Protected Disclosure dated 5th December 2022; | Information not held |
| 2024-03-18 | Request for criteria for categorising disability access support. | Information not held |
| 2024-03-12 | HSCC complaint against Lawrie Hooper and Tanya August Hanson report | Information not held |
| 2024-03-06 | Cost of Public Health report on fluoridating tap water | Information not held |
| 2024-02-29 | Doctors Practices | Information not held |
| 2024-02-29 | Patient Transfer | Information not held |
| 2024-02-28 | Out of work/work related benefits. | Information not held |
| 2024-02-27 | Manx State Pension | Information not held |
| 2024-02-12 | CBPM users | Information not held |
| 2024-02-06 | testosterone | Information not held |
| 2024-01-31 | Incidence of Glioblastoma on IOM over the last 7 years | Information not held |
| 2024-01-24 | CHAMs | Information not held |
| 2024-01-18 | Call Recording | Information not held |
| 2024-01-16 | Benefits wrongly paid/claimed since 2020 | Information not held |
| 2023-12-27 | Information held against myself | Information not held |
| 2023-12-19 | CEO policy, strategy, contract/subcontract without employment rights | Information not held |
| 2023-12-13 | AAC & EC | Information not held |
| 2023-11-21 | Assisted Dying - impact and risk assessment | Information not held |
| 2023-11-14 | Level 5 UCM degree research project. | Information not held |
| 2023-11-09 | Endometriosis statistics | Information not held |
| 2023-11-03 | FOI request re Manx Care management structure | Information not held |
| 2023-10-04 | Unclaimed Manx Residents in U.K. | Information not held |
| 2023-10-03 | Cardiology consultant | Information not held |
| 2023-10-02 | Cardiology referals | Information not held |
| 2023-10-02 | Allergies | Information not held |
| 2023-09-27 | Day Procedure Waiting Lists. | Information not held |