Mental Health waiting list

Summary

The requester asked for the number and reasons for cancelled mental health Step 1 and 2 appointments between January and October 2018. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that 2,496 appointments were cancelled but refused to provide reasons for 1,040 of them due to practical refusal grounds.

Key Facts

• 2,496 health appointments were cancelled by Health Care Practitioners between 1 January 2018 and 12 October 2018.
• Reasons for cancellation were not recorded in an easily reportable format for 1,040 of the cancelled appointments.
• The Department refused to provide the missing reasons under Section 11(3)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.
• The refusal was based on the practical reason that complying would require creating, deriving, or substantially compiling information.
• Recorded reasons for the remaining cancellations included 'Rescheduled Appointment' (1,113) and 'Clinic Cancelled' (133).

Data Disclosed

• 2,496
• 1,040
• 133
• 15
• 36
• 67
• 1,113
• 62
• 30
• 1st January 2018
• 12th October 2018
• 29th October 2018
• 2015 - 2020

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(2)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Practical refusal reason)
• Section 11(3)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Refusal on grounds of creating or deriving information)

Original Request

In the Strategic Plan for Mental Health and Wellbeing 2015 - 2020 it stated the Department was "Developing Step I and Step 2 services to target prevention and early intervention". However, I am aware that mental health appointments for step 1 and step 2 interventions are regularly cancelled by the practitioner. Can you please let me know how many mental health appointments have been cancelled or re-arranged by the Practitioner for the period 1st January 2018 to date (12th October 2018) and the reason for such cancellation.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Chief Executive: Malcolm Couch Freedom of Information Team DHSC Digital Cronk Coar Strang IM4 4RJ

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

Our ref: 624670 29th October 2018

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 12th October 2018, which states:

In the Strategic Plan for Mental Health and Wellbeing 2015 - 2020 it stated the Department was "Developing Step I and Step 2 services to target prevention and early intervention". However, I am aware that mental health appointments for step 1 and step 2 interventions are regularly cancelled by the practitioner. Can you please let me know how many mental health appointments have been cancelled or re-arranged by the Practitioner for the period 1st January 2018 to date (12th October 2018) and the reason for such cancellation.

Our response to your request is as follows: There were 2,496 health appointments cancelled by the Health Care Practitioners (HCP) between the specified dates. Of these appointments, the reasons for cancellation for 1,040 of them was not recorded in an easily reportable format. Please note that the following reasons were recorded for the remaining appointments: Clinic Cancelled 133 Clinic Overrun 15 Over-booked 36 Staff Sickness 67 Rescheduled Appointment 1113 Rescheduled Clinic 62 Slot Cancelled 30 The reasons for cancellation of the 1,040 appointments may fall into the above categories, but the information was recorded in a different way.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find all of the information that you have requested. The Department does not hold the reasons why the remaining 1,040 appointments were cancelled in an easily reportable format. Section 11(2)(b) of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse to give an applicant the information they requested on the grounds that a practical refusal reason applies. In this instance, under Section 11(3)(b) of the Act we are refusing part of your request, on the grounds that practical refusal reasons apply, namely, that in complying with the request for information, it would require the Department to do one or more of the matters mentioned in section 8(3) of the Act (things a public authority is not required to do by the Act) as follows; • Create or derive information from information that it holds; • Undertake research into, or analysis of, information, that it holds; or • Undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds.

Please quote the reference number 624670 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