Number of meningitis cases recorded by school

Summary

A request for a breakdown of meningitis cases in specific schools between July 2021 and December 2022 was refused by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture. The authority cited exemptions regarding personal data protection and the requirement to create new information from existing records.

Key Facts

• The request covered seven specific schools including Cronk y Berry Primary and St Ninian's High School.
• The Department refused the request under Section 25(b)(i)&(ii) as the data constitutes absolutely exempt personal information.
• Disclosure was deemed to contravene data protection principles under the General Data Protection Regulation.
• A secondary refusal reason cited Section 11(3)(b) because fulfilling the request would require creating or deriving new information.
• The final outcome date for the request was 28 July 2025.

Data Disclosed

• July 2021
• December 2022
• 22 July 2025
• 28 July 2025
• 15 August 2025
• 1 October 2025
• 4811774
• Section 25(b)(i)&(ii)
• Section 11(3)(b)
• Article 5
• Article 6

Exemptions Cited

• Section 25(b)(i)&(ii) - Absolutely exempt personal information
• Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018 - Article 5 and Article 6
• Section 11(3)(b) - Not required to create or derive information

Original Request

Breakdown of meningitis cases recorded within schools. - broken down by: A - school B - month Period to be cover July 2021 to December 2022

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St Johns IM4 3AS

Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im

Our ref: 4811774 1 October 2025

Dear ### ,

We write further to your request, received 28th July 2025, which states:

" 1 - instances of notification of suspected meningitis cases between schools and public health during the period, in accordance with U.K. guidance; or 2 - any official letters provided to parent in relation to positive/suspected meningitis cases, in accordance with U.K. guidance

Period to be cover July 2021 to December 2022

On 15th August 2025 to assist with the processing of the request, you clarified that the schools you are specifically seeking information from are:

“Cronk y Berry Primary School Henry Bloom Noble Primary School Manor Park Primary School Onchan Primary School St Mary’s RC Primary School

St Ninian’s High School Ballakermeen High School”

Our response to your request is as follows:

s25(b)(i)&(ii) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, we are unable to provide the information you have requested because the Department of Education, Sport and Culture determine that the information held it is absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information). The reasons why that exemption applies are that:

• The Department of Education, Sport and Culture is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and • The Department of Education, Sport and Culture is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to the Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that the Department of Education, Sport and Culture can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 and in this case, none of those conditions have been met.
Please quote the reference number 4811774 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.

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St Johns IM4 3AS

Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im

Our ref: 4811774 28 July 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request received 22 July 2025, which states:

"Breakdown of meningitis cases recorded within schools.
- broken down by:
A - school
B - month

Period to be cover July 2021 to December 2022"

Our response to your request is as follows:
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, complying with your request for information would require the Department of Education, Sport and Culture to undertake research into, or analysis of, information that it holds and also to create or derive information from information that it holds. Which the Department is not required to do in response to a Freedom of Information request, as per Section 11 (3) (b) of the Act.
The reason this practical refusal reason is applicable is details of a pupil’s absence from school due to illness or otherwise is stored on each individual pupil’s school record and it would not be possible to provide the data without schools accessing each pupil’s record and then collating information held.
For this reason, the Department of Education, Sport and Culture is not obliged to comply with your request.
By way of advice and assistance with regards to notifiable diseases, Education settings follow guidance by Isle of Man Public Health - Available of Isle of Man Government website - link Isle of Man Government - Guidance on Managing Infections in Schools and Workplaces

Please quote the reference number 4811774 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.