Vaccine refusal

Summary

The requester asked for statistics on COVID-19 vaccine refusals broken down by invitation category, but the Department of Health and Social Care stated they do not hold this data as it is maintained by individual GP practices.

Key Facts

• The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold data on the number of people who refused the COVID vaccine.
• Vaccine refusal data is currently held by individual GP Practices and added to patient records upon request.
• There is no mandatory requirement for patients to formally dissent from having the vaccine.
• The vaccination programme had called all individuals over 75 and was commencing calls for the extremely clinically vulnerable, their carers, and those over 70.
• General uptake statistics are available via the official COVID dashboard.

Data Disclosed

• 1664769
• 2021-02-08
• 2021-02-15
• 12th February 2021
• over 80
• over 75s
• over 70s

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information not held)

Original Request

I seek the publication of the number of people who have been offered but refused a COVID vaccine so far, broken down by category for why they were invited for the jab eg over 80, high risk, health and social care workers.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Interim Chief Executive: Kathryn Magson Freedom of Information Team Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3QA

Tel: (01624) 642621 Email: dhsc@foi.gov.im Website: www.gov.im/dhsc

Our ref: 1664769 12th February 2021

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on the 8th February 2021 and states:

"I seek the publication of the number of people who have been offered but refused a COVID vaccine so far, broken down by category for why they were invited for the jab e.g. over 80, high risk, health and social care workers."

Our response: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. The data in relation to the number of dissenters is currently held by individual GP Practices and is not held by the Department of Health and Social Care. Although there is currently no requirement for anyone to dissent from having the vaccine patients can contact their GP and advise that they wish to dissent. This will be added to the patient’s GP record and will be useful when the programme is at the stage where all relevant patients have been called for a vaccination and a catch up process begins.
To provide help and assistance you can view all data regarding uptake of the COVID vaccination programme that is currently available on the COVID dashboard which can be found at https://covid19.gov.im/general-information/covid-19-vaccination-statistics/ The vaccination programme has called all over 75s and will now commence calling patients who are extremely clinically vulnerable along with their carers and the over 70s.

Please quote the reference number 1664769 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely