Manx Care
22 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 1086.4%
The Freedom of Information requests to Manx Care reveal an authority grappling with the dual pressures of pandemic-era scrutiny and systemic data limitations. A dominant theme is the reliance on the 'information not held' exemption, particularly regarding mortality data. In over a dozen cases (e.g., 1812503, 1994741, 2210085), Manx Care consistently refused to provide death statistics or cause-of-death breakdowns, stating they do not hold death certificates and directing requesters to the General Registry. This creates a significant blind spot in public understanding of health outcomes, as the authority holds admission and treatment data but claims no access to the final mortality records. Similarly, requests regarding the scientific specifics of the pandemic response (virus isolation, PCR thresholds) were met with clarifications that Manx Care does not perform these advanced procedures, effectively outsourcing the scientific narrative to UK laboratories while refusing to generate new data on adverse events.
Key Cases
Case 1786213 — Highlights a significant transparency gap where Manx Care refused to provide advertising authorizations, invoices, and payments under a 'practical refusal' exemption, despite disclosing the budget. This suggests potential opacity in how public funds are authorized and spent on marketing.
Case 2175541 — Reveals the massive financial reliance on agency and bank workers, providing a clear picture of the cost of staffing shortages. The inability to differentiate between nurses and HCAs due to shared finance codes also exposes weaknesses in the authority's financial tracking systems.
Case 2371715 — Directly addresses patient safety and accountability by disclosing 'Duty of Candour' incidents. The revelation of 20 incidents, including one escalated to a formal complaint, provides concrete evidence of systemic failures and the authority's response to them.
Case 1873690 — A pivotal case in the pandemic narrative where Manx Care explicitly stated they do not perform virus isolation procedures. This clarifies the scope of their laboratory capabilities and counters claims that they are hiding evidence of virus isolation, while simultaneously admitting they do not hold the data requested by skeptics.
Case 2082778 — Clarifies the financial relationship with the UK government regarding vaccines. By confirming the Isle of Man paid nothing for the vaccines themselves (provided free by the UK), it shifts the focus of public spending inquiries to administration and distribution costs rather than procurement.
Related FOI Stories
The 'Not Held' Defense on Mortality and Death Data — #1812503, #1812501, #1941281, #1988313, #1994741
Virology, PCR Protocols, and Vaccine Skepticism — #1845993, #1861725, #1873689, #1873690, #1880753
Financial Transparency and Spending — #1786213, #1799406, #1820933, #1943113, #2007297
Hospital Performance, Waiting Lists, and Staffing — #1782317, #1821533, #1838029, #1931457, #1940485
Data Compilation and System Limitations — #1786213, #1812503, #1820933, #1915369, #1919333
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-18 | ENT Performance Queries | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2025-10-20 | GP Licence | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for the number of practice hours required for a GP to maintain their license under GMC and Manx Care regulations. Manx Care refused to provide the information directly, citing that it is already reasonably accessible via external websites. | ||
| 2025-09-16 | FOI Request - Dr [Redacted] Protected Disclosure Documentation | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2025-08-12 | Report | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for a Health Needs Analysis report on prisoner mental health conducted by Tamlyn Cairns Partnership for Manx Care, which was refused in full. | ||
| 2025-03-25 | Request for documentation | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for documentation regarding the capping of special duty pay for Manx Care employees, but no information was sent because the authority stated the data is already reasonably accessible to the public. | ||
| 2025-03-20 | Manx Care Improvement Directors | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for details on Improvement Directors advising Manx Care, including costs and contract terms, but no information was disclosed as it was deemed exempt under data protection and commercial interest laws. | ||
| 2025-02-25 | MHK Statement | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for internal and external communications regarding a Manx Care statement accusing MHK Julie Edge of factual errors, as well as the chain of command for publishing statements. Manx Care refused to disclose any information, citing exemptions related to the conduct of public business. | ||
| 2024-10-04 | Cost cutting schemes | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2024-03-05 | Patients on DUPILUMAB | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2024-02-13 | Births | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2023-08-25 | Outsourcing or privatisation | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2023-05-17 | Duty of Candour report 2021-2022 | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2023-05-10 | Brain cancer Glioblastoma | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2023-04-11 | Secondment of Medical Director | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2023-02-02 | Manx Care complaints report 2021-22 | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2022-07-04 | Information Commissioner actions against Manx Care | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for monthly counts of decision notices, enforcement notices, and financial penalties issued to Manx Care by the Information Commissioner in 2021 and 2022. Manx Care refused to provide the data for notices as it is publicly available online, and stated they hold no information on financial penalties because none have been issued. | ||
| 2021-11-26 | Covid-19 vaccinations isle of man | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for detailed dates and monthly statistics regarding the Isle of Man's COVID-19 vaccination rollout by category and dose. Manx Care refused to provide the data directly, citing that the information is already reasonably accessible via the official government website. | ||
| 2021-11-08 | Foreign sports people vax status 2021 | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for the COVID-19 vaccination status of foreign sports personnel visiting the Isle of Man between January and November 2021. Manx Care refused to confirm or deny holding the information, citing an absolute exemption for personal data. | ||
| 2021-11-03 | MHK and MLC Covid Vaccination Status | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for the vaccination status of all MHKs, MLCs, and civil servants, specifically regarding COVID-19. Manx Care refused to confirm or deny holding the information, citing an absolute exemption for personal data. | ||
| 2021-11-03 | Vaccination status ALL Manx Care/Nobles/GP's staff | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for the vaccination status of all Manx Care, Nobles Hospital, and GP staff, specifically regarding COVID-19. The authority refused to confirm or deny holding the information, citing an absolute exemption for personal data. | ||
| 2021-06-30 | PCR threshold cycle | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for the current and historical PCR threshold cycle (CT) values used by Manx Care since March 2020. The authority responded that the information is already reasonably accessible on the government website, stating the CT setting is 40 and has not changed. | ||
| 2021-06-16 | PCR testing | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked Manx Care for the specific Cycle Threshold (CT) value used for PCR testing on the Isle of Man. The authority refused to provide the information directly, citing that it was already reasonably accessible via their public FOI disclosure log. | ||