Department of Health and Social Care
644 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 27.6%
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 (644)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | ||
| 2017-11-06 | Travel expenses | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for travel statistics and costs for off-island flights and sailings in 2016/17, along with contract rates for airlines. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the total numbers and costs for flights and sailings but withheld specific contract rates due to commercial confidentiality. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-10-19 | Southern Group Practice Complaints | Information not held |
| A request was made for the number of complaints regarding Dr J Longan at Southern Group Practice for misdiagnosis or unprofessional conduct. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that they could neither confirm nor deny holding the information due to data protection exemptions concerning third-party personal 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. | ||
| 2017-10-08 | Patient transfers; Contract - Minster's company | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for statistics on patient transfers to the UK and details regarding a contract with Manx Home Care, a company where the Minister is a director. The Department of Health and Social Care provided transfer statistics but stated they did not hold the requested contract files, suggesting the Treasury be contacted instead. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-09-08 | abortions that have legally taken place on the Isle of Man | Not upheld |
| A request for the total number of legal abortions on the Isle of Man since October 2011 was initially refused by mistake, but an internal review overruled the decision and disclosed the figure. | ||
| 2017-09-08 | prosecutions taken place on the Isle of Man under sections 71 and 72 of the Criminal Code 1872 | Information not held |
| A request was made for prosecution statistics under specific sections of the Criminal Code 1872 and the Infanticide and Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1938, but the Department of Health and Social Care responded that they do not hold this information. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-08-31 | Noble's Records | All information sent |
| A request was made for details regarding medical records management, storage locations, and the MediViewer digital system at Noble's Hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed contact details for records management, confirmed onsite storage of archives, and outlined retention periods, but withheld the disaster recovery plan citing national security and health safety exemptions. | ||
| 2017-08-31 | Pay rises | All information sent |
| The requester asked whether all staff areas within the Department of Health and Social Care received the same 2.2% pay rise. The department disclosed that pay rises varied by staff group, with some receiving 2.2%, others 1%, some 2.5% from a previous year, and some having no agreement reached for the current year. | ||
| 2017-08-29 | Prescribing of Statins | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request for detailed data on statin prescribing, costs, and patient volumes in the Isle of Man was partially fulfilled, with information provided for primary care and hospital outpatients but withheld for inpatients and specific cost breakdowns due to data limitations. | ||
| 2017-08-24 | Staff employed by the Department of Health and Social Care in media relations, public relations and marketing roles | All information sent |
| The request sought the number of staff and total annual costs for media relations, public relations, and marketing roles within the Department of Health and Social Care for the past five years. The authority disclosed data for the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years, noting that costs became nil from April 2014 after roles were transferred to the Cabinet Office. | ||
| 2017-08-21 | MH Admin review | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for the 2015/16 administrative support review report for the Mental Health Directorate at Noble Hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care released the full report but redacted personal data under Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2017-08-18 | prescriptions issued | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for prescription statistics and patient counts for specific age groups in the Isle of Man between March 2016 and April 2017. The Department of Health and Social Care provided data on patient numbers and total prescriptions issued but refused to disclose the specific number of individuals who paid for prescriptions, citing the cost of compilation. | ||
| 2017-08-17 | travel and hotel costs the Dept has incurred for Consultants and Doctors visiting the island for the last 12 months. | All information sent |
| The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the total travel and accommodation costs incurred for visiting consultants and doctors over the 12 months prior to August 2017. The response provided a breakdown of these expenses by division, totaling £28,853.48. | ||
| 2017-08-15 | Endoscopy procedures carried out in Nobles Hospital in the Month of July 2017 | All information sent |
| A request was made for the number of endoscopy procedures performed at Nobles Hospital in July 2017, and the Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the total count along with a breakdown by procedure type. | ||
| 2017-08-14 | Cost of TT | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request for costs related to the 2017 Isle of Man TT and Festival of Motorcycling was partially fulfilled by the Department of Health and Social Care, which disclosed medical staffing and bed costs but stated it did not hold data on rescue helicopter expenses. | ||
| 2017-08-10 | cannabis licenses issued | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for details on cannabis licenses and end-of-life policies in the Isle of Man. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed no cannabis licenses were issued but could not provide specific hospice policies as the hospice is a private charity, though they shared a joint end-of-life care document. | ||
| 2017-08-08 | funding from the department to provide pregnancy advice or counselling services to the public | Information not held |
| The requester asked for details of funding provided by the Department of Health and Social Care to organizations for pregnancy advice or counselling since 2011. The Department responded that it does not hold this information because it does not fund any organization specifically for these services, though such advice is available within existing primary and secondary care services. | ||
| 2017-08-07 | Everall Report 2006 | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Department of Health and Social Care for details on the implementation of the 132 recommendations from the 2006 Everall Report. The department responded that it does not hold this information because responsibility for implementation was assigned to the Chief Secretary's Office. | ||
| 2017-08-06 | Communication (emails, notes, text messages, documents) between your director of policy and Minister regarding reducing the eligibility of free prescriptions for Isle of Man residents | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for communications between the Director of Policy and Minister Kate Beecroft regarding reducing free prescription eligibility, resulting in the release of some emails and notes while other documents were withheld due to exemptions. | ||
| 2017-08-05 | tender procedures | All information sent |
| A request was made regarding the tender procedures for cleaning services involving a company registered by Mrs Beecroft. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that Manx Home Care was the successful tenderer, provided the tender receipt date, stated the maximum contract length, and clarified that no FD8 waiver was required as the process was competitive. | ||
| 2017-08-03 | retention schedules | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for data on record retention schedules and detailed information regarding the MediViewer digital health project at Nobles Hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care issued a revised response correcting an error on retention data and provided partial information on record destruction, while withholding other requested project details. | ||
| 2017-07-31 | Medical professionals accused of criminal offences. | All information sent |
| The requester asked for policies regarding medical professionals accused of criminal offences, departmental liability, and resolution procedures. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed all requested information, providing three specific policy documents and links to external professional body codes. | ||
| 2017-07-30 | IRB 03 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The Department of Health and Social Care conducted an internal review regarding training records, hospital data collection, and annual reports for the Independent Review Body (IRB). The authority confirmed it did not hold specific training evidence, clarified that the IRB is not subject to FOI, and directed the requester to online resources for annual reports. | ||
| 2017-07-30 | Nurses posts, admin posts and volunteer redundancies | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The Department of Health and Social Care provided detailed statistics on nursing and administrative post vacancies as of July 2017 but withheld individual voluntary redundancy data due to privacy exemptions, though a total payout figure was disclosed. | ||
| 2017-07-28 | IRB 02 | Information not held |
| A request was made for detailed statistics and financial data regarding the Independent Review Body (IRB) from 2011 to 2017, including complaint numbers, expert reports, and settlement costs. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that they do not hold the requested information and suggested contacting the Cabinet Office instead. | ||
| 2017-07-28 | Indemnity | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for details regarding the Isle of Man Government's medical and dental indemnity providers and associated costs from 2011 to present. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that it self-insures, meaning no external companies are used and no annual costs are paid to insurers. | ||
| 2017-07-27 | Methadone and Drug Substitutes | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for spending data and patient registration numbers regarding methadone and drug substitutes for 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. The authority responded by providing full disclosure of prescribing costs from 2013/14 to 2016/17 and annual patient snapshots for November 2015 and October 2016. | ||
| 2017-07-19 | Copy of Safeguarding Children's Board Report | Information not held |
| The applicant requested a copy of an investigation report into the Department of Health and Social Care's Children and Family Services that they believed was presented to Tynwald on 18 July 2017. The Department responded that it does not hold the report as it was not yet presented to Tynwald and cannot be released until after its official publication in October 2017. | ||
| 2017-07-06 | Endoscopy 2 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Department of Health and Social Care provided endoscopy procedure statistics for Noble's Hospital and Ramsey, along with costs for UK-based procedures, but refused to disclose the specific usage count of transferred equipment due to practical limitations. | ||
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