Vaccine releated death/adverse reactions/hospitalisations/yellow card

Summary

The Department of Health and Social Care refused to provide specific figures for vaccine-related deaths, injuries, adverse reactions, and hospitalisations, stating the information is not held by the Department. For Yellow Card reports, the Department cited an exemption because the data is already reasonably accessible via a UK MHRA Freedom of Information response.

Key Facts

• The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the requested data on vaccine-related deaths, injuries, adverse reactions, or hospitalisations.
• Requests regarding injuries and adverse reactions should be redirected to Manx Care, which handles service delivery.
• Yellow Card data for Isle of Man residents is not routinely separated in UK summaries but is available via a specific MHRA FOI response.
• The Department was redesigned on 1 April 2021 following Sir Jonathan Michael's Independent Review.
• Weekly surveillance reports containing general hospitalisation and death data are published by the Public Health Directorate.

Data Disclosed

• 2021-10-05
• 2021-10-08
• 2023917
• 1 April 2021
• 10 May 2021
• FOI 21-401

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a of the Act (Information not held)
• Section 20 of the Act (Information already reasonably accessible)

Original Request

Please can you provide me with the figures for the number of Covid vaccine related: Deaths Injuries Adverse Reactions Hospitalisations Yellow Card Reports In addition, the figures for how many vaccinated people have tested positive for covid.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

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

Our ref: 2023917 8 October 2021

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received 5 October 2021 and which states:

"Please can you provide me with the figures for the number of Covid vaccine related: Deaths Injuries Adverse Reactions Hospitalisations Yellow Card Reports In addition, the figures for how many vaccinated people have tested positive for covid. Our response: For ease, our response is broken into two parts: Part 1: Please can you provide me with the figures for the number of Covid vaccine related: Deaths Injuries Adverse Reactions Hospitalisations In addition, the figures for how many vaccinated people have tested positive for covid While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department of Health and Social Care ('the Department') is unable to provide the information that 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.

However, the Isle of Man Government Public Health Directorate publish a weekly report which provides a summary of indicators used to understand the status of the current wave of Covid-19 in the Isle of Man. The purpose of the public health surveillance report is to provide a clear and trusted data source which will help individuals, businesses and the wider community to make positive choices about how they manage the risk of COVID-19. The weekly report includes data referring to Hospitalisations and Deaths. You can access the COVID-19 weekly surveillance report, including previous weekly surveillance reports published by the Isle of Man Government Public Health Directorate at the following link: COVID-19 Weekly Surveillance Report https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/cabinet-office/public- health/health-intelligence/covid-19-weekly-surveillance-report/ Data regarding injuries and adverse reactions you may wish to re-submit your request to Manx Care, which is an option available on the Freedom of Information request portal, who will process your request accordingly. To provide advice and assistance, The Department of Health and Social Care redesigned on 1 April 2021 as a direct result of Sir Jonathan Michael’s Independent Review of the Isle of Manx Health and Care System. This Review continues to be a catalyst for change and improved service provision. The redesigned DHSC ensures the separation between the setting of policy and strategy and the delivery of services by Manx Care. Further details on what services Manx Care deliver is available at: www.gov.im/about- the-government/statutory-boards/manx-care/ Part 2: Please can you provide me with the figures for the number of Covid vaccine related: Yellow Card Reports The Department does not receive copies of data regarding IOM residents who have reported an adverse vaccine reaction via the Yellow Card scheme. The total number of reports received from the Isle of Man are contained within the Coronavirus weekly summaries under England, however, are not currently routinely separated. However, the Department does hold data that was provided from an applicant who submitted a Freedom of Information request under the UK Freedom of Information Act 2000 to the Medical & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. To provide advice and assistance, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (the ‘MHRA’) regulates medicines, medical devices and blood

components for transfusion in the UK. The MHRA is an executive agency, sponsored by the UK Department of Health and Social Care. The MHRA works closely with the UK devolved administrations as well as the governments of the Crown Dependencies. All individuals receiving a vaccine are encouraged to report side effects to COVID-19 vaccines to the Yellow Card scheme by the governments in these territories. Whilst the Department does hold this data, the following exemption applies, namely, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee. The information that you have requested regarding ‘Please can you provide me with the figures for the number of covid vaccine related ..........Yellow Card Reports’ is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom- of-information- responses-from-the-mhra-week-commencing-10-may-2021 Freedom of Information responses from the MHRA - week commencing 10 May 2021 (Landing page) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information- responses-from- the-mhra-week-commencing-10-may-2021 Freedom of interest request on the number of yellow card reports from the Isle of Man (FOI 21-401) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information- responses-from-the-mhra-week-commencing-10-may-2021/freedom-of- interest-request-on-the-number-of-yellow-card-reports-from-the-isle-of-man- foi-21-401 Attachment 1 (FOI 21-401) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/a ttachm ent_data/file/996999/FOI_21-401_PDF_Attachment.pdf Attachment 2 (FOI 21-401) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/a ttachment_data/file/997000/FOI_21-401_PDF_Attachment_2.pdf Attachment 3 (FOI 21-401) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attach m ent_data/file/997001/FOI_21-401_PDF_Attachment_3.pdf Please quote the reference number 2023917 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.