Which stakeholders took part in the wide ranging consultation in regards to st.thomas'/scoill vallajeelt

Summary: The requester asked which stakeholders participated in consultations regarding the St Thomas' school move and whether a planned visit to a faith school occurred. The Department of Education confirmed that only parents met with senior officials, no other stakeholder consultation has taken place, and the proposed faith school visit did not happen.

No consultation has taken place with stakeholders other than meetings between parents and the Department's Chief Executive Officer and Director of Education.

The Department intends to hold an open evening with residents in the Autumn term.

A public notice regarding the proposals will be issued to allow for comments.

An Order will be laid before Tynwald after considering feedback from the public notice.

The proposed visit to a faith school by the Minister and political member did not take place.


School attendence orders issued to home educators

Department of Education, Sport and Culture

No information sent - all held but exempt

Summary: The requester asked for statistics on school attendance orders issued to home educators since 2009 and instances where departmental powers were found lacking. The Department of Education refused to provide new information, citing an absolute exemption because the data was already publicly available via a previous FOI response and Tynwald Hansard.

The request was refused under Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act as the information is reasonably accessible by other means.

The requested data was previously published in FOI response reference IM93642I on 26th July 2017.

Information regarding the Department's powers can be found in the August 2017 Tynwald Hansard written answers (questions 9 and 10).

The Freedom of Information Act only legally applies to information created on or after 11th October 2011, though the department noted this did not change the outcome.

The response letter itself was scheduled for publication on the Government Freedom of Information website.

Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act (information is reasonably accessible to applicant by other means)


Selected Primary School Improvement Plans

Summary: The requester asked for School Improvement Plans and related governance details for seven specific primary schools under the Articles of Government. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded by disclosing all requested information, including copies of the plans for the seven schools.

The request covered seven primary schools: Arbory, Ballasalla, Foxdale, Kewaigue, Rushen, Scoill Phurt Le Moirrey, and Victoria Road.

School Improvement Plans are mandated annually by Article 6 of the Articles of Government which came into force on 1st May 2013.

The Department confirmed that all information requested was sent to the applicant.

The response included copies of the improvement plans for all seven schools as an enclosure.

The request was processed by the Department of Education and Children, with the Chief Executive Officer being Ronald Barr.


Pupil breakdown in SVJ & Douglas/Braddan areas per FoI ref. IM93918I

Summary: The request sought a breakdown of correspondence regarding the proposed co-location of St Thomas' and Scoill Vallajeelt schools sent to various officials between 29 July and 4 August 2017. The Department of Education disclosed data for its own members and officers but refused the request for elected representatives outside the department, citing a practical refusal reason.

The Department received 1 letter/email in favour of the proposal for Mr H Quayle (Chief Minister) and 1 for Mr G Cregeen (Minister for Education).

Mr A Shipley (Legal and Administration Manager) received 1 letter/email in favour of the proposal.

No correspondence was recorded for the Department of Economic Development members or the Education Council members listed.

Information regarding correspondence sent to Mrs K Beecroft, Mrs D Caine, Mr B Malarkey, and Ms C Bettison was refused as they are not Department members.

A correction was issued for a previous request (IM69674I), adding 6 letters opposing the proposal from the period 14 June to 28 July 2017.

Section 11(3)(a) of the Act (Practical refusal reason: information not held by the Department)


Selected Primary School Improvement Plans #2

Summary: A Freedom of Information request sought School Improvement Plans and related governance details for five specific primary schools on the Isle of Man. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided the requested plans and confirmed that no recommendations were submitted by the governing bodies, though minor redactions were applied to protect personal data.

The request covered Ashley Hill, Cronk y Berry, Laxey, Onchan, and Willaston Primary Schools.

School Improvement Plans for the requested schools were provided in full.

No recommendations were submitted by any of the school governing bodies regarding their plans.

Minor redactions were made to the documents to preserve personal information.

The response was issued on 8 September 2017.

Section 25 of the Act (absolute exemption for personal information)


SEN complaints & requests for assistance

Summary: A request was made for statistics on SEN complaints and assistance requests from parents over the past five years, but the Department of Education refused to provide the information.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture refused the request under section 11(3)(b) of the Act.

The requested information is not held centrally by the Department.

Answering the request would require substantial compilation of records from 32 Primary schools, 5 Secondary schools, and UCM.

The requester was informed of their right to an internal review by Mr Andrew Shipley.

Further appeals can be made to the Information Commissioner if the internal review is unsatisfactory.

Section 11(3)(b) of the Act (practical refusal reason due to substantial compilation or collation)


No. of children receiving home education

Summary: A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture regarding the number of children receiving home education. The authority disclosed the total count, broken down by primary and secondary school levels, confirming all requested information was sent.

The request was received on 2017-08-16 and responded to on 2017-08-22.

There were 35 children registered as home educated at the primary level.

There were 22 children registered as home educated at the secondary level.

The total number of children receiving home education was 57.

The information was scheduled to be published on the Government website.


Permanent and updated pupil numbers at all schools

Summary: The requester asked for permanent school capacity figures and updated projected pupil rolls for the 2017/2018 academic year on the Isle of Man. The Department of Education refused to provide the 2017/2018 data as exempt because it was incomplete and intended for future publication, while directing the requester to an existing website for capacity figures.

The request was made on 2017-08-22 and responded to on 2017-09-04.

Permanent capacity figures were refused under Section 20(2)(b) as they are already published online.

Projected pupil rolls for 2017/2018 were refused under Section 41 as the information was incomplete and intended for future publication.

The Department planned to upload the requested 2017/2018 data to their website by the October 2017 half term.

Incomplete data was withheld to avoid presenting an inaccurate picture of school rolls due to ongoing enrolments and sixth form decisions.

Section 20(2)(b) - Information accessible to applicant by other means

Section 41 - Information intended for future publication


How many out of Catchment Requests requests have been made and approved (14/6/17 to date (St Thomas/Vall

Summary: The request sought details on out-of-catchment school applications for Scoill Vallajeelt linked to the St Thomas' relocation proposal between June 2017 and August 2017. The Department of Education partially disclosed that fewer than 5 applications were received and approved, all citing the relocation, but withheld specific dates and individual details due to privacy exemptions.

Less than 5 out-of-catchment applications were received for Scoill Vallajeelt between 14 June 2017 and 30 August 2017.

All received out-of-catchment applications were approved.

Every approved application cited the proposed relocation of St Thomas' school as a factor.

Specific dates of receipt and individual applicant details were withheld to prevent identification.

The Department plans to hold an open evening and issue a public notice regarding the relocation in the Autumn term.

Section 39 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act (exempt personal information)

Section 8 of the Data Protection Act 2002 (rights of privacy)


Arbory catchment area

Summary: A request was made to determine the number of primary school-aged children living in the Arbory catchment area who attend schools outside that area. The Department of Education refused the request, citing that the information is not held in the required format and compiling it would require substantial analysis not mandated by the Freedom of Information Act.

The request sought data on 'out of catchment' primary school students in the Arbory area.

The Department of Education refused the request under section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The refusal was based on the 'practical refusal' ground that the department does not hold the specific compiled information.

Creating the data would require deriving information, research, and substantial collation, which is exempt under section 8(3).

A postcode-only analysis was deemed potentially misleading due to families moving while keeping children at their original schools.

Section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Practical refusal reason)

Section 8(3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Exemption for creating or deriving information)


Child complaints re physical/sexual abuse by teachers

Summary: A request was made for statistics on child complaints against teachers regarding physical, sexual, and emotional abuse since 1996, including investigation and prosecution outcomes. The Department of Education disclosed that the number of complaints in each category over the past six years is five or fewer, confirmed all were investigated, and stated that disciplinary or prosecution outcomes were also five or fewer, while withholding specific historical data due to legal exemptions.

The Freedom of Information Act 2015 only mandates disclosure for information created on or after 11 October 2011.

Specific numbers for complaints since 1996 were withheld to prevent the identification of individuals.

In each requested category (physical, sexual, verbal/emotional abuse), the number of complaints over the past six years is five or fewer.

All complaints received were investigated.

The number of cases resulting in disciplinary action or prosecution is five or fewer.

Section 4(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (temporal scope)

Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (exempt personal information)

Section 39(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (exempt personal information)


Pupil Achievement KS3

Summary: A request was made for details on KS3 pupil assessment and setting policies across Isle of Man secondary schools, to which the Department of Education responded with specific data for Ballakermeen High School and Castle Rushen High School.

Ballakermeen High School assesses progress half-termly using National Curriculum descriptors.

Castle Rushen High School uses setting for subjects including English, Maths, ICT, History, Geography, Spanish, French, and RE.

At Ballakermeen, Year 7 students in Maths, English, History, RE, and Geography are taught in mixed ability groups pending review.

Both schools utilize a range of ability levels (e.g., 2A to 7C) to define set groupings.

The response provided detailed tables of student numbers and ability ranges for specific sets at both schools.


Pupil Achievement KS2

Summary: A request for Key Stage 2 pupil achievement data for 2017 was submitted to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, but the authority withheld all information citing exemptions despite holding the data.

The request was received on 2017-09-12 and the outcome was issued on 2017-09-18.

The authority confirmed that the requested information was held but exempt from disclosure.

The response document contains a table listing percentage achievement data for numerous primary schools across the Isle of Man.

The data covers Key Stage 2 performance levels ranging from L2 to L7.

No actual information was sent to the requester due to the exemption status.


Rushen school - incidents of bullying & exclusions/meaures

Summary: A request for bullying statistics and exclusion data at Rushen Primary School was partially fulfilled, with specific incident counts withheld to protect personal data, while general figures and internal procedures were disclosed.

The total number of confirmed bullying incidents at Rushen Primary School across 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and the start of 2017/2018 was fewer than five.

No pupils were permanently excluded from the school due to bullying incidents.

Between one and five pupils were suspended during the 2016/2017 academic year for bullying-related issues.

No victims of bullying were moved or removed from their class or school.

The school utilizes a digital whole school behaviour log and runs PSHE/Citizenship curricula including SEAL and Jigsaw programs.

Section 39(1) of the Act (exempt personal information)


Survey monkey results - St Thomas'

Summary: A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for the results of a parent survey regarding the proposed co-location of St Thomas' Primary School. The authority disclosed the full statistical breakdown of responses for three specific questions and confirmed the total number of participants.

The survey was conducted by the Head Teacher of St Thomas' Primary School in September 2017.

A total of 32 parents responded to the survey.

59.38% of respondents stated they were 'most definitely no' happy with the idea of co-location.

68.75% of respondents indicated they would consider transferring their child to another school if co-location proceeded.

The Department of Education considers the survey data to be owned by them.


Marown primary roll & OoC enrolments

Summary: The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided the total pupil enrollment numbers by year group for Marown Primary School but refused to disclose the number of 'out of catchment' pupils.

Total enrollment data for Marown Primary School was released for all year groups from Reception to Year 6.

The request for 'out of catchment' pupil numbers was refused under practical refusal reasons.

The Department stated it is not statutorily required to hold or analyze address data relative to catchment areas.

Compiling the requested out-of-catchment data would require creating or deriving information not currently held in the requested format.

The response was issued on 6 October 2017 following a request received on 5 October 2017.

Section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Practical refusal reasons)

Section 8(3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Compilation and analysis of data)


Pupil information primary schools academic year 16/17

Summary: The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided pupil roll numbers, absence data, and free school meal percentages for Isle of Man primary schools for the 2016/17 academic year, while citing absolute exemptions for SEN and first language data as it was already publicly available.

Information was requested for all on-island primary schools regarding the 2016/17 academic year and historical KS1/KS2 completion data from 2012/13 to 2015/16.

The Department disclosed data for questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10 in tabular format.

Questions 5 (SEN percentage) and 6 (non-English first language percentage) were subject to an absolute exemption under s20 of the Act because the data was already accessible via previous FOI responses.

The response was issued on 2017-11-06 following a request received on 2017-10-11.

Bunscoill Rhumsaa had the highest total roll at 489 pupils, while Jurby Community Primary School had the lowest listed roll at 63 pupils.

Absolute exemption under s20 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (information already accessible via previously published FoI responses)


St Thomas' School Options Presentation

Summary: The requester asked for full minutes and clarification regarding feasibility studies and relocation options for St Thomas' Primary School, citing previous partial disclosures. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded that they were not required to fulfill the request, providing only a letter referencing existing partial extracts rather than the full documents sought.

The authority determined it was not required to fulfill the Freedom of Information request.

The request concerned the future of St Thomas' C E Primary School, including potential relocation to Fairfield, Ballacloan, or the Henry Bloom Noble campus.

Discussions included the possibility of a conjoined faith school with St Mary's or a new all-island faith school, the latter of which was rejected.

The Chief Executive Officer noted St Thomas' had inadequate provisions for staff and pupils, marking it as a high priority issue.

A working group was formed in December 2016 to look at options for replacing St Thomas' School.


Age 16/18 school leavers data

Summary: The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded to a request for 2017 school leaver data by age 16 and 18, stating that most information was not held or required substantial compilation to retrieve.

The request covered students from 5 state high schools and UCM for the academic year ending summer 2017.

Data on students who went to work or became unemployed is not held by the Department.

Data on A-Level progression is currently being compiled by schools and was not available at the time of response.

The Department suggested contacting the Treasury's Income Tax or Social Security divisions for employment and unemployment data.

Apprenticeship data for 18-year-olds is also not held by the Department.

s11(3)(a) of the Act (information not held)

s11(3)(b) of the Act (practical refusal due to research/compilation requirements)

s8(3)(b) (undertake research into, or analysis of, information)

s8(3)(c) (undertake substantial compilation or collation of information)


Working hours of DEC staff

Summary: A Freedom of Information request sought data on flexible working hours and work-from-home permissions for Department of Education, Sport and Culture staff across schools and services for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 academic years. The authority disclosed that zero staff in listed schools and the Youth Service held these contractual arrangements, while information for the Music Service was not held.

The request was clarified to cover teaching staff, middle management, and senior leadership roles.

No staff in any listed primary or secondary schools were contractually granted flexible working hours in 2016/17 or 2017/18.

No staff in any listed primary or secondary schools were contractually granted permission to work from home in 2016/17 or 2017/18.

The Youth Service reported zero staff with flexible hours or work-from-home permissions for both years.

The Music Service stated that information regarding these working arrangements was not held.


Pupils expelled but managed move

Summary: The requester asked for the number of pupils expelled from schools island-wide over the past 10 years, specifically those who moved to other schools. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture refused to disclose the data, citing that the FOI Act only covers information from 2011 onwards and that the small number of cases constitutes exempt personal data.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture has a policy of not permanently expelling pupils.

The Freedom of Information Act only applies to information created on or after 11 October 2011.

Information regarding managed moves is exempt under section 25(2) because it relates to personal data of individuals other than the applicant.

Managed moves occur infrequently and involve relatively small numbers of students.

The response was issued by Chief Executive Officer Prof Ronald Barr on 15 November 2017.

Section 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (temporal limitation to information created after 11 October 2011)

Section 25(2) of the Freedom of Information Act (personal data exemption)


Bullying and Harassment in Island's schools 2012/2017

Summary: The requester asked for a breakdown of formal bullying and harassment complaints in Isle of Man schools from 2012 to 2017, but the Department of Education refused the request citing practical refusal grounds due to the lack of central logs and the substantial effort required to compile the data.

The Department of Education refused the request under sections 11(3)(a), 11(3)(b), and 8(3) of the Freedom of Information Act.

The requested information on formal complaints is not centrally held in up-to-date logs.

Compiling the data would require searching individual case records across 32 primary schools, 5 secondary schools, and the Department's Head Office.

The Department provided a link to a separate report on pupil suspensions which includes some data on bullying-related suspensions.

The requester was informed of their right to an internal review and a subsequent appeal to the Information Commissioner.

Section 11(3)(a) of the Act
Section 11(3)(b) of the Act
Section 8(3) of the Act


Suspensions

Summary: The requester asked for a 10-year breakdown of school suspensions by student count and total instances, but the Department of Education refused the 10-year scope due to the FOI Act's 2011 start date and denied the student count data on practical grounds.

The request for data covering the past 10 years (from 2007) was partially refused due to the Act's temporal limitations.

The request for a total number of children suspended was refused on the grounds that a practical refusal reason applies.

The response was issued by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture on 15 November 2017.

Applicants have the right to request an internal review or appeal to the Information Commissioner if dissatisfied.

11 October 2011
15 November 2017
2017-10-19
Oct 2007 - Oct 2017
10 years
Reference Number IM107501I
3 pages
1 document

Temporal limitation of the Freedom of Information Act (information created before 11 October 2011)


Level 3-5 KS2 data

Summary: The requester sought Isle of Man KS2 attainment data for academic years 2012-13 to 2016-17 across five disciplines with gender breakdowns. The Department of Education provided an overview table for the requested years, explaining the calculation method for 'English' data and directing the requester to school-specific websites for detailed individual school statistics.

The aggregated 'English' data is calculated from an equally weighted amalgamation of Speaking & Listening, Reading, and Writing components.

Level 3 data is no longer required to be analyzed across all schools by the Education Improvement Service (EIS).

The Department noted that the requester has made 16 FOI requests since January 1, 2017, with 9 submitted in the past 6 months.

The Department advised that future requests should cover only one clearly defined topic to reduce administrative burden.

Some data in the provided table differs slightly from Onchan Primary School's website due to corrective updates.


Primary school running costs

Summary: The requester asked for 2016/17 expenditure and pupil numbers for all Isle of Man primary schools, but the Department of Education refused to send the data directly.

The request was refused under Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act as the information is accessible by other means.

Expenditure data is available via the Treasury's financial reporting portal.

School roll data has already been published by the Department in specific PDF reports.

The response was issued by Chief Executive Officer Ronald Barr on 2017-12-04.

The requester was informed of their right to an internal review or appeal to the Information Commissioner.

Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act (Information accessible to applicant by other means)


St Thomas/SVJ catchment area

Summary: The request sought an update on the number of St Thomas' Primary School pupils residing in various catchment areas as of December 2017. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed full data showing the breakdown of pupil residence across multiple school catchment areas.

The request was received on 2017-12-02 and responded to on 2017-12-18.

As of 1st December 2017, 2 pupils (3.3%) attending St Thomas' Primary School resided in the Scoill Vallajeelt catchment area.

The majority of St Thomas' pupils (85.2%) resided within the combined Douglas, Braddan, and Onchan area.

The response provided a detailed breakdown of pupil residence across 11 different primary school catchment areas.

The information was provided by Ronald Barr, Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.


Registers of employment - Empl. Children Regs

Summary: A request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for registers of employment concerning children. The authority confirmed holding the information but refused to disclose it, citing exemptions.

The request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

The subject of the request was registers of employment for children.

The authority confirmed that all requested information is held.

No information was sent to the requester.

The outcome was determined on the same day the request was received.


2018 Commonwealth games - DESC attendees

Summary: A request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for information regarding attendees at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The authority confirmed that all requested information was sent to the applicant within one day of receipt.

The outcome was determined on 2018-01-04.

All information requested was disclosed.

The response consisted of 1 document containing 2 pages.

The applicant has the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner if dissatisfied.


Employees disciplined for unauthorised access to PC records

Summary: A Freedom of Information request asked the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for the number of employees disciplined for unauthorized access to computer records since 2011. The department responded that no such disciplinary proceedings have taken place.

The request covered the period from 2011 to the date of response.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture confirmed zero employees faced formal disciplinary proceedings for unauthorized access to computer records.

The response was issued on 19 January 2018.

The information provided is intended for publication on the Government website.

Applicants dissatisfied with the response may request an internal review from the Legal and Administration Manager.


Meetings between DESC and MHEA

Summary: A request was made for details regarding a meeting between the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) and the Manx Home Education Association (MHEA), including attendees, documents, minutes, and future dates. The authority disclosed the names of DESC representatives, links to some discussed documents, and a future meeting date, but withheld MHEA attendee names, specific draft documents, and minutes due to data protection and policy formulation exemptions.

DESC representatives at the meeting were Minister Graham Cregeen MHK and Legal Manager Andrew Shipley.

Names of MHEA representatives were withheld as personal data under the Data Protection Act 2002.

No official minutes were taken due to the informal nature of the meeting.

A provisional follow-up meeting was scheduled for 19 February 2018.

Several documents were exempt from disclosure due to ongoing policy formulation regarding the Education Bill.

Section 25 (absolutely exempt personal information)


Farmer Payments

Summary: A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding farmer payments, resulting in the full disclosure of a list of 346 individual payment amounts for the year 2015.

The request was received on 2017-01-30 and concluded on 2017-02-17.

The authority confirmed that all requested information was sent.

The disclosed data covers 346 individual farmer payments for the year 2015.

Payments listed are totals after late penalties were applied but before adjustments.

The response document consists of 11 pages containing a single data table.


Planning App. 10/01892/B

Summary: A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding Planning Application 10/01892/B. The authority responded by releasing some information while withholding parts of the 27-page document due to exemptions.

The request concerned Planning Application 10/01892/B.

The responding authority was the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.

The final outcome was issued on 2017-07-11.

The response consisted of 27 pages across 1 document.


Turkeyland Waste Licence

Summary: A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding the Turkeyland Waste Licence. The authority responded by sending all requested information, consisting of 33 pages across one document.

The request concerned the Turkeyland Waste Licence.

The outcome was that all information was sent.

The response consisted of 33 pages in a single document.


Lorne House

Summary: A request for all correspondence and file notes regarding Lorne House between May 2015 and May 2017 was partially fulfilled with two bundles of documents before being deemed vexatious due to the excessive burden on departmental resources.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture released two bundles of information totaling 302 pages.

Processing the request required over 100 hours of work by at least eight officers.

The authority consulted seven third parties during the review process.

The request was ultimately classified as vexatious under section 11(3)(d) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

Personal information was redacted from the released documents under section 25 of the Act.

Section 25 (Personal information)
Section 11(3)(d) (Vexatious request)


Peel Marina dredging & Raggatt Leachate

Summary: The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it does not hold specific data regarding Peel Marina dredging and Raggatt Leachate disposal, referring those queries to the Department of Infrastructure. Information regarding policy formulation for these issues was withheld under FOI exemptions due to ongoing reviews and cross-departmental work.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture does not hold information on sludge removal, weight, transport, or disposal for Peel Marina.

The Department of Infrastructure is identified as the likely holder of information regarding Marina dredging and Raggatt Leachate transport.

A cross-department working group was established in May 2017 to develop a policy for dealing with materials from Peel Marina.

Consultants were appointed in January 2015 to review leachate production, with parameters expanding since then.

No timescale has been set for the completion of the policy development work.

Section 34 (Formulation of Policy)
Section 35 (Conduct of Public Business)


Planning Enforcement Complaint

Summary: A request was made for details regarding a planning enforcement complaint about a new build house on Kella Road, Sulby. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture confirmed holding the information but refused disclosure entirely, citing exemptions for confidential information and ongoing investigations.

The complaint relates to planning application 15/00980/REM for a new build dwelling in Sulby.

The Department confirmed that information regarding the complaint is held.

Disclosure was refused under Section 26 as it would constitute an actionable breach of confidence.

Additional information was withheld under Section 31 to protect an ongoing investigation that may lead to criminal proceedings.

The Public Interest Test was applied, weighing transparency against the risk of prejudicing legal action.

Section 26: Information provided in confidence

Section 31: Investigations and legal proceedings


Heritage Railway Safety Incidents

Summary: The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded to a request for safety incident details regarding Isle of Man Heritage Railways since October 2011, disclosing three specific incidents and identifying the vehicle involved in a brake failure.

The request covered the Manx Electric Railway, Isle of Man Railway, Douglas Horse Tramway, and Snaefell Mountain Railway.

Three incidents were detailed in the response: two dangerous occurrences and one injury resulting in over 3 days absence.

The Snaefell car involved in the brake failure incident on 4th August was identified as Car No. 2.

Weather-related issues were cited as the cause for two of the reported dangerous occurrences.

Additional incidents listed in Appendix 4 were excluded from this release to allow for a manageable processing of a potential new request.

Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Absolutely exempt personal information)


Richmond Hill CC minutes etc

Summary: The request sought minutes and agreements regarding the Richmond Hill Consultative Committee, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it did not hold the specific 2016 meeting minutes or the signed 2012 agreement, while refusing to re-supply previously provided briefing notes and minutes under a practical refusal reason.

Minister Boot did not quote from minutes at the June 2017 meeting but referred to a briefing note.

The requested information regarding the June 2017 meeting was previously supplied by the CEO's office on 22 August 2017.

The Department does not hold minutes of the 2016 meeting between the Municipal Association and Minister Ronan.

The 2012 Revised Structure of Committee agreement was never signed, so only an unsigned draft was provided.

The request for previously supplied information was refused under section 11.2(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

Section 11.2(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (practical refusal reason: information previously supplied)


Land Classification

Summary: The requester sought documentation proving the 2008-2009 land classification process for the Country Care Scheme was followed correctly, specifically regarding fields 224567 and 135050. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed that the Scottish Agricultural College conducted the survey using aerial and habitat maps, confirmed no appeals were lodged for the specific fields, and provided links to the policy and claim forms.

Land classification for the Country Care Scheme was conducted in 2008 by the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) using aerial and habitat maps.

Ambiguous areas were ground-truthed by SAC and DEFA officers, with vegetation composition used to assess historical land use.

Twelve farm businesses appealed initial classifications, but the specific claimants for fields 224567 and 135050 did not lodge an appeal.

Both applicants for fields 224567 and 135050 claimed the land was of AML character and Rough Grazing on their 2009 claim forms.

The Department confirmed the classification process was satisfied through ground-based survey and the absence of appeals.


Peel Silt Analysis

Summary: A request for details on Peel Marina dredging and Raggatt Leachate disposal was partially answered, with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stating it does not hold specific operational data for most questions. Information regarding heavy metal analysis and leachate results was withheld under exemptions related to the ongoing formulation of government policy.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture does not hold information regarding sludge removal, volume, transport, or disposal for Peel Marina.

The Department of Infrastructure is identified as the likely holder of information regarding Marina dredging operations.

A cross-department working group was established in May 2017 to develop a policy for dealing with Peel Marina materials and Raggatt Leachate.

Information on heavy metal analysis and leachate results is being withheld because the disposal policy is still under development.

Consultants were appointed in January 2015 to review leachate production, with the scope of the review expanding since then.


EfW Plant and RHCC

Summary: The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded to a request for the Energy from Waste Plant licence, subsequent amendments, and minutes regarding the cessation of the Richmond Hill Consultative Committee. All requested information was disclosed, though some personal data within the documents was redacted under data protection laws.

The original Waste Disposal Licence (WDL/06/2003/V1) was issued to SITA on 14th November 2003.

A current licence and conditions were issued in 2011, with further variations documented since then.

The Richmond Hill Consultative Committee (RHCC) was discussed for disbanding in a meeting on 13th June 2017.

The 2017 meeting attendees included Minister G Boot, DEFA CEO R Lole, and Director B Warden.

Some information was redacted because it constituted personal data exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.


ADS Payment reduction

Summary: The applicant requested documentation regarding ADS payment reductions and sanctions for 2016-2017, including comparisons with other farmers. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to provide specific internal documents citing practical refusal reasons and exemptions for personal data, while directing the applicant to publicly available statistics and appeal outcomes.

The request was made on 2017-09-28 and the final outcome was determined on 2019-03-19.

Information regarding the applicant's own payment delay was refused under Section 11(2)(b) as it had been previously supplied.

Data concerning other ADS applicants was withheld under Section 25 as absolutely exempt personal information.

Generic statistics on scheme breaches and Stage 2 appeal outcomes are published annually on the DEFA website.

The authority stated that all businesses are considered against the same criteria in the Farmers' Handbook.

Section 11(2)(b) - Practical Refusal Reason (identical or substantially similar information previously supplied)

Section 25 - Absolutely exempt personal information

Section 20(2)(b) - Information accessible to applicant by other means


Agricultural occupancy conditions

Summary: The requester asked for statistics on breaches and enforcement actions regarding 266 planning approvals with agricultural occupancy conditions. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture explained that the 266 figure could not be accurately mapped to specific addresses but disclosed 11 alleged breach investigations and details on subsequent regularization applications.

The original count of 266 approvals with agricultural occupancy conditions could not be linked to specific addresses due to potential duplications or field number references.

DEFA retrieved 11 alleged breach investigations concerning agricultural occupancy conditions across 11 addresses.

Of the 11 breach investigations, 6 resulted in planning applications to regularize the breach, with 5 refused and 1 approved.

DEFA received 16 separate applications for a certificate of lawfulness, of which 14 were approved, 1 declined, and 1 withdrawn.

The authority stated it does not hold information in a format to satisfy the specific requirement of mapping the 266 count to enforcement cases.


Development of tourist accomodation - Glamping

Summary: A Freedom of Information request asked the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for data on meetings and site identifications regarding glamping development between 2014 and 2017. The authority disclosed that while no specific ministerial meeting records were found, department officers held 30 meetings, approximately 21 sites were identified for potential development, and 3 sites were actively scoped during the specified period.

The Department does not hold specific records of Ministerial meetings dedicated to glamping development.

Department officers held a total of 30 meetings regarding glamping development between January 2016 and August 2017.

Approximately 21 Department-owned sites have been identified for potential glamping development since 2011.

Three Department-owned sites were scoped or explored for glamping development between January 2016 and August 2017.

Two additional sites were subject to third-party requests but require further consideration.


Castlemona Hotel - Registered Building Inspections

Summary: A request was made for inspection reports of the Castlemona Hotel under Registration of Buildings legislation, to which the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed a list of site visits and available reports while noting that hard copy files were temporarily inaccessible due to renovations.

The authority confirmed holding information regarding site visits to the Castlemona Hotel since 2011.

Hard copy registration files were moved to temporary storage due to renovations at Murray House, delaying a full search.

An update in February 2018 confirmed that after searching the files, only one report from August 2012 was found in the hard copy file.

A scheduled site visit in May 2013 did not take place because the Caretaker was unavailable.

Personal information in the released reports was redacted under section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Personal information)


Meat Plant Tender and Costs

Summary: The request sought details on the meat plant tender outcome and subvention payments made by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. The authority disclosed that the tender decision was pending after presentations and confirmed £500,000 in payments were made since April 2017.

The tender assessment was conducted on 6th September 2017 by officers from three departments.

Tenderers were invited to make presentations to the assessing committee.

The final outcome of the tender process was expected shortly after the presentations.

Full tender details were scheduled to be published on the Procurement Services webpage.

The Department paid £500,000 in subvention payments to the Meat Plant since April 2017.


Chatham House Environment Conference costs

Summary: The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the full breakdown of costs and attendee list for the 2017 Chatham House Environment Conference, along with the strategic benefits of participation for the Isle of Man's climate policy.

Total conference costs amounted to £5,980.71 covering places, flights, accommodation, and expenses.

Four officials attended, including the Chief Executive Officer and two MHKs.

The conference focused on international climate change leadership, low carbon transition, and carbon pricing.

Attendance was justified to support the Isle of Man's target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.

The Chatham House model allowed for off-the-record debate among high-level participants.


Eastern Area Plan

Summary: A request was made to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture regarding the next document in the Eastern Area Plan process, but the department stated it does not hold this information as the function has been transferred to the Cabinet Office.

The requested information is not held by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.

Responsibility for Planning Policy and area plan preparation now lies with the Cabinet Office.

The requester was advised that a similar request had been made to the Cabinet Office.

The response was issued under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The requester has the right to an internal review or appeal to the Information Commissioner.


Workplace Compliance Solutions Ltd

Summary: The request sought the cost to the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture for engaging Workplace Compliance Solutions Ltd, specifically regarding services for the meat plant. The department disclosed costs for a pre-assessment appraisal and SALSA training, noting that further BRC accreditation costs were paid directly by the meat plant.

Workplace Compliance Solutions provided a pre-assessment appraisal for Isle of Man Meat's 2017 BRC accreditation at a cost of £1925.

Any additional costs for BRC accreditation were paid by Isle of Man Meat, not the Department.

The Department contracted Workplace Compliance Solutions to deliver SALSA training and pre-audit advice to nine food businesses.

The cost for SALSA training was £2051 in 2016/17 and £2316.15 in 2017/18.

The services were part of the 'Food Matters' strategy to support the agricultural industry.


ADS acreage rate and Meat Plant tender

Summary: A request was made regarding the ADS acreage rate and a Meat Plant tender, to which the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded by sending all requested information.

The outcome was that all information was sent.

The response consisted of 1 document containing 2 pages.

The responding authority is the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.


SKANCO Palm trees

Summary: The requester asked for details regarding a tree felling authorization for SKANCO at Spring Valley to remove two mature palm trees. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the application and the licence decision, noting a typographical error in the licence date.

Tree felling authorization was granted to SKANCO for the removal of 2 mature palm trees at Spring Valley.

The application was received on 13th October 2015 and processed on 15th October 2015.

The issued licence (592/15) contained a typographical error listing the date as 23rd July 2015 instead of 15th October 2015.

Personal information in the documents was redacted under section 25(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The response included reminders about responsibilities under the Wildlife Act 1990 regarding nesting birds and bat roosts.

2 mature palm trees
13th October 2015
15th October 2015
23rd July 2015
Licence 592/15
21 days
March-August
695740

Section 25(2) of the FoIA (Absolutely exempt personal information)


Manx Gas Accounts

Summary: A request was made for Manx Gas Limited's accounts for the last financial year, but the Office of Fair Trading refused to disclose the information.

The Office of Fair Trading confirmed it holds the requested accounts.

Disclosure was refused under section 26 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The information is protected by a confidentiality clause in the Regulatory Agreement.

Manx Gas Limited explicitly denied consent for the release of the accounts.

The company stated the accounts are commercial and confidential.

Section 26 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Actionable breach of confidence)


Scaffolding in stream

Summary: The requester sought information regarding an alleged enquiry by the Department of Fisheries to Manx Utilities about scaffolding in a stream near their home. The Department confirmed no such enquiry occurred, clarifying that communications were actually regarding drainage pipe discharges and flood risk management works on the opposite bank.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture confirmed there was no enquiry from Fisheries to Manx Utilities regarding scaffolding in the stream.

Fisheries officers queried pipes leading to the stream to confirm they were surface water discharges.

The email exchange concerned flood risk management works affecting the same stretch of stream on the opposite bank.

Manx Utilities approved the installation of drainage gullies from a front garden to the stream with non-return valves.

The stream is unlikely to contain salmonid fish at the specific location, though brown trout are present further downstream.


Horse & Plough Fence and Douglas Promenade

Summary: The requester sought confirmation regarding the removal of a fence at the Horse & Plough and copies of planning inspector reports for the Douglas Promenade. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture refused to fulfill the request because the applicant failed to provide necessary clarification within the statutory 28-day period.

The request was made on 6th November 2017 regarding the Horse & Plough fence and Douglas Promenade planning works.

The authority sent an email on 8th November 2017 requesting clarification of the request.

No clarification was received from the applicant within the required 28 days.

The response was issued on 8th December 2017 stating the request could not be fulfilled.

The applicant was advised to submit a new, clearer request to obtain the information.

Section 14(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (failure to clarify request within 28 days)


Accident at IOM Meats

Summary: A requester sought all documentation related to a 2016 accident at Isle of Man Meats, including payslips and reports, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture stated it does not hold this information as the company is privately owned. The request for personal data was also refused under an absolute exemption.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture does not hold accident reports or payslips for Isle of Man Meats.

Isle of Man Meats is a privately owned company, so the Department only holds information if reported under Health and Safety obligations.

The requester was advised to contact Isle of Man Meats directly for the requested documentation.

The request for documents containing the applicant's name was refused as it constitutes personal data.

The response was issued on 23rd November 2017 regarding a request received on 8th November 2017.

Section 25(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Absolutely exempt personal information)


Boarding and Homestay inspections

Summary: The request sought inspection reports and dates for boarding and homestay establishments over the past two years. While the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture provided a list of inspection dates, the actual reports were withheld as they contain exempt personal data.

The request was initially for 4 years of data but was reduced to 2 years following a telephone conversation.

Inspection reports were refused under Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 as absolutely exempt personal information.

The Department determined that disclosure would contravene the first data protection principle under the Data Protection Act 2002.

A list of specific inspection dates for licensed homestays and kennels/catteries was released for the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 periods.

The licensing and inspection year runs from 1st April to 31st March.

Section 25(2)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015

First data protection principle under the Data Protection Act 2002


Costs ass. with Pitbull dog

Summary: A request was made for all costs associated with the seizure and quarantine of a pit-bull type dog named Rex. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the travel costs for a visiting UK officer but confirmed it held no information regarding the dog's removal, quarantine, or trial costs.

The request concerned costs for a dog named Rex, described as a 'pit-bull type' canine.

The Department confirmed holding information only for the travel expenses of a UK Police Dog Legislation Officer.

The Department explicitly stated it holds no information on the cost of the dog's removal from the Isle of Man.

No information was held regarding quarantine costs up to the trial or ongoing quarantine costs.

The trial related to the case was held at Colchester Magistrates' Court.


Ballamoar Farm - farm waste entering Barnel stream

Summary: A request was made for details on investigations, cautions, and prosecutions regarding farm waste from Ballamoar Farm entering the Barnel Stream since 2010. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture disclosed the number of investigations but withheld information on cautions issued under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

DEFA officers investigated 16 incidents of farm waste entering the Barnel Stream from Ballamoar Farm since 2010.

Information regarding the number of cautions issued was withheld.

The response was issued on 28 December 2017 following a request dated 6 December 2017.

The authority cited Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 as the reason for partial exemption.

The request specifically referenced potential prosecutions under the Islands Freshwater Fisheries Act or the Water Pollution Act.

Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (confirm or deny exemption)


Meat Plant - successful proposal & tender process costs

Summary: The requester asked for the successful proposal and tender costs for the Isle of Man Meat Plant, but the authority disclosed that the tender was cancelled and no winning proposal exists. The only costs provided were for advertising the Prior Information Notice, totaling £609.60, as officer time was covered by daily duties.

The tender for the Meat Plant procurement was cancelled, so there is no winning proposal.

Plans for the new operation were presented to the industry on 11 December 2017.

The only recorded costs for the tender process were for advertisements in the local press and Meat Trades Journal.

Officer time spent assessing tenders was completed as part of daily duties and not separately costed.

The response was issued by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture on 20 December 2017.


Bus Vannin AD&N 483 application

Summary: A request for legal advice and associated documents regarding the Bus Vannin AD&N 483 application was partially fulfilled, with legal advice withheld due to privilege and some personal data redacted.

The Road Transport Licensing Committee (RTLC) received the FOI request on 13 December 2017.

Legal advice was exempted under Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 due to legal professional privilege.

Associated application documents were released with personal information withheld under Section 25.

The RTLC determined that the risk of harm from disclosing legal advice outweighed the public interest in transparency.

The decision-making process is currently ongoing and subject to potential appeal to the High Bailiff.

Section 40: Legal professional privilege

Section 25: Absolutely exempt personal information


Pinfold Act

Summary: A request was made for the locations and contact numbers of Pinfolds under the Pinfolds Act 1963, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such information is held because the government currently maintains no pinfolds.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture does not hold information on Pinfold locations or out-of-hours contact numbers.

There are presently no pinfolds maintained by the government.

The Pinfolds Act 1963 does not create an absolute requirement for the Department to maintain pinfolds at all times.

Improved animal traceability procedures since the 1980s have rendered the use of pinfolds outdated.

Straying animals found during working hours should be reported to the Department, while dangerous straying outside office hours should be reported to the police.


Colonoscopy Waiting List - Nobles

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for data on the colonoscopy waiting list, providing the total number of patients, a breakdown by waiting duration, average wait times for different clinical categories, and monthly procedure statistics for the previous six months.

There are currently 543 patients on the colonoscopy waiting list.

The average waiting time for routine colonoscopies is seven months, while urgent cancer-related cases take less than two weeks.

The Isle of Man Government does not have a specific waiting time standard for colonoscopies, though the UK NHS standard is 6 weeks.

Productivity in the Endoscopy Unit increased by 25% following a move to a new facility.

Plans to clear backlogs include employing a Nurse Endoscopist and adding an extra weekly list at Ramsey Cottage Hospital.


F1 Forms (Financial Assistance)

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for data on F1 financial assistance forms for dental and glasses, providing statistics on applications and fraud checks while noting that financial audits are held by the Treasury.

No F1 forms were found to be fraudulent during the period covered.

Officers can only perform limited checks to verify if applicants are in receipt of benefits.

Financial audits for the years 2012 to 2016 are not held by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The department is considering transferring F1 application processing to the Social Security Division.

The F1 form currently states DHSC, though older versions may incorrectly state DHSS.


Request for Numerous Wheelchair Service Policies, Procedures and Processes

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding wheelchair service policies, procedures, and repair processes by providing the full 'Eligibility Criteria and Provision of Wheelchairs and Specialist Seating' policy document. The response detailed specific repair timeframes, contractor information, and liability waiver procedures for decommissioned equipment.

Wheelchair repairs are carried out by the Department of Infrastructure (DOI), Health at Noble's Hospital.

Non-emergency repairs for Category 3 users or operable chairs must be completed within 3 working days.

Emergency repairs for Category 1, 2, and 4 users where the chair is unsuitable for use must be completed within 24 hours.

Users wishing to retain a decommissioned wheelchair must sign a waiver of liability.

The response included the 'Primary Care Directorate, Community Health Services, Eligibility Criteria and Provision of Wheelchairs and Specialist Seating Version 2.2' policy dated June 2016.


Request for Mental Health Screening Policy for ASD at HMP Jurby

Summary: A request was made for mental health screening policies and statistics regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at HMP Jurby. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that no routine screening or specific policies exist for ASD, refused to provide historical prisoner statistics citing lack of data, and supplied the mental health management structure chart.

The Mental Health Service does not routinely screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within HMP Jurby.

No specific policies exist for supporting prisoners identified with ASD as the service does not cover this condition.

Assessments for suspected ASD are only undertaken when aggressive or disruptive behavior is presented.

Historical data on the number of prisoners identified with ASD between 2012 and 2016 was not held by the department.

A review of mental health provision in the criminal justice pathway is underway to align with upcoming NICE guidelines.

22nd January 2017
07 March 2017
January 2012
August 2016
March 2017
Section 11 (3)(a)
IM74-923i

Section 11 (3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (practical refusal reason)


Abortion

Summary: The requester asked for documents provided to the Minister regarding the feasibility of amending the Isle of Man's Abortion legislation. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed a feasibility report titled 'Termination of Pregnancy (Medical Defences) Act 1995: Feasibility of an Amendment Bill during the 2017/18 legislative session'.

The current abortion legislation in the Isle of Man was enacted in 1995.

A previous review attempt by a DHSC sub-committee in 2005 did not result in comprehensive proposals.

The disclosed document compares Isle of Man laws with other jurisdictions in the British Isles and Gibraltar.

The report analyzes clinical evidence regarding the physical and mental health impacts of termination.

The Department was asked to recommend whether to progress an Amendment Bill or conduct further public engagement.


DASH

Summary: A student nurse requested information on the closure of the DASH service, alcohol screening statistics, and alcohol-related appointments and crime. The Department of Health and Social Care provided historical screening data for 2014-15 but withheld information on DASH's closure, GP appointments, and crime due to lack of data holding, while exempting A&E data pending future publication.

DASH was a registered charity contracted by the Department, not an internal team, so the Department does not hold closure reasons.

GP Practices are independent data controllers and not subject to Freedom of Information legislation.

Alcohol-related A&E data is exempt under section 41 because an anonymised report is scheduled for future publication.

The Department does not hold alcohol-related crime statistics as there is no business need to do so.

Alcohol screening data provided covers the financial year 2014-15.

Section 41 (Information for future publication)

GP Practices are not subject to Freedom of Information legislation


Mental Health Act

Summary: A Freedom of Information request to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care sought data on mental health patient suicides and complaint statistics. The authority disclosed annual suicide figures for patients and inpatients from 2012 to 2016, provided complaint data from 2011 to 2017, and noted that two legal questions were withdrawn by the requester.

Seven mental health patients under care committed suicide between 2012 and 2016 according to coroner records.

Two mental health inpatients committed suicide during the same period.

Questions regarding the legal admissibility of Barring Orders as witness evidence were withdrawn by the requester.

Complaint data is available from 2011 to 2017, but outcomes favoring specific parties are not recorded.

Complaint recording procedures were standardized within the Mental Health Service following a review in 2012.


Residential Support Workers

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for staff turnover data regarding Senior Residential Support Workers and Residential Support Workers in Adult Learning Disabilities Services between 2012 and 2017. The authority disclosed total turnover figures, current staff numbers, and a detailed breakdown of reasons for leaving, including resignations, retirements, and internal transfers.

Total turnover for Senior Residential Support Workers (SRSW) was 14 staff members over 5 years.

Total turnover for Residential Support Workers (RSW) was 36 staff members over 5 years.

As of the response date, there were 21 SRSWs and 176 RSWs employed in the Adult Learning Disability Service.

12 of the 14 SRSWs who left their posts remained working within the Adult Learning Disability Service in different roles.

20 of the 36 RSWs who left their posts remained working within the Adult Learning Disability Service.

14 SRSWs
36 RSWs
21 SRSWs
176 RSWs
12 SRSWs still working
20 RSWs still working
1st Jan 2012
31st Jan 2017
2012-2017
23 February 2017
9th February 2017


Alcohol related admissions

Summary: A request for alcohol-related hospital admissions, treatment completion rates, and mortality statistics was partially fulfilled by the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care. While data on treatment completions was released, admission and mortality figures were withheld due to planned future publication.

The request was received on 10 February 2017 and responded to on 8 March 2017.

Question 01 regarding hospital admissions was refused under Section 41 of the Act.

Question 02 regarding treatment completion was answered with specific statistics for 2016.

Question 03 regarding mortality rates was refused under Section 41 of the Act.

The Drug and Alcohol Team utilizes a harm minimisation approach rather than strict abstinence.

11 patients
1st January 2016
31st December 2016
6 months
12 month period
under 75

Section 41 (qualified exempt information for future publication)


Travel costs off Island

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for off-island healthcare costs and patient travel statistics for 2014-2017, providing full financial breakdowns and journey counts by financial year.

Total off-island healthcare costs were approximately £18.9m, £21.2m, and £19.1m for the financial years 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-Jan 2017 respectively.

The largest cost category was treatment and care in the UK, followed by flight costs including air ambulances.

Administrative costs decreased between 2014-15 and 2015-16 due to a staff reduction cost-saving initiative.

Patient journeys ranged from 8,727 to 9,752 per financial year, with escort journeys ranging from 5,615 to 6,070.

The response clarified that data was provided by financial year rather than calendar year as originally requested.


Cost spent on ME

Summary: The requester asked for a comparison of spending on Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME) versus cancer, heart, and MS services over the last ten years, but the Department of Health and Social Care refused to provide this financial data as it would require creating new analysis. The authority disclosed that only 7 patients with a primary ME diagnosis were recorded in the last decade, totaling 32 bed days.

The Department of Health and Social Care refused the request under Section 11(2)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The refusal was based on the principle that public authorities are not required to create, derive, or analyze information they do not already hold.

In the last 10 years, there were 7 patients with a primary diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME).

These 7 ME patients accumulated a total of 32 bed days over the 10-year period.

The request was received on 13 February 2017 and the response was issued on 20 February 2017.

13th February 2017
20th February 2017
7 patients
32 bed days
last 10 years
Section 11 (2) (b)
s8 (3)
IM77816I

Section 11 (2) (b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (practical refusal reason)

Section 8 (3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (no requirement to create or derive information)


Number of Staff - DHSC, Noble's, 0-Hours,

Summary: A Freedom of Information request to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care sought staff numbers for the department, Noble's Hospital, and zero-hours contracts, as well as data on qualified nursing staff. The authority disclosed total staff figures and zero-hours contract details but refused to provide specific numbers for qualified nursing staff due to data limitations.

The Department of Health and Social Care employs 2,857 staff members.

1,397 staff members are employed on zero-hours contracts, with 805 having additional contracted hours and 592 solely on zero-hours.

Information on qualified nursing staff was refused because the HR system cannot distinguish nurses from allied health professionals or identify those not carrying out nursing duties.

The response data is accurate as of 17 March 2017.


CAMHS - SMT Minutes

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for CAMHS treatment numbers, waiting list data, total demand, and senior management minutes, disclosing most statistics but noting that some waiting list data was not held on a monthly basis.

As of 28 February 2017, the CAMHS current caseload was 683.

The Older Persons Mental Health Service, Drug & Alcohol Team, and Acute In-patient Services have not held waiting lists since January 2013.

The Psychological Therapies Service was closed in March 2015 and replaced by the Community Well Being Service in June 2016.

Total referrals to Mental Health and CAMHS services between January 2013 and February 2017 numbered 12,956.

The Community Mental Health Team for Adults does not hold waiting list information on a month-by-month basis.


Patient Transfers Taxi Tender

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding the tender process for a patient transfer taxi service from Liverpool airport to hospitals, disclosing all requested documents including tender invitations and correspondence.

The request covered documents for a taxi service transferring patients from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to Merseyside and North West hospitals.

The Department provided eight appendices including the Expression of Interest, Invitation to Tender, and unsigned agreements.

The service requires contractors to accommodate up to 14 passengers per vehicle and provide assistance with luggage and mobility.

The tender process was managed by Procurement Services at the Attorney General's Office.

The service is required to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, excluding Christmas Day.


Salisbury Street

Summary: The request sought details on the tendering process for a care home on Salisbury Street, including the number of interested parties and contract terms. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the timeline and participant numbers but withheld specific financial contract terms citing commercial sensitivity.

An Expression of Interest (EOI) was issued publicly and directly to 166 parties between July and August 2016.

Ten parties expressed interest, but only eight progressed to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage after two failed compliance checks.

Only two tenderers submitted responses to the ITT issued in October 2016.

Notifications of the successful and unsuccessful parties were sent on 19 January 2017, though EOI-only participants were not informed of the final outcome.

Service requirements were provided as an appendix, but financial details were withheld.

29 July 2016
15 August 2016
166 parties
10 parties
8 parties
20 October 2016
01 December 2016
2 tenderers
19 January 2017
Section 30

Section 30 (qualified exempt information having economy and commercial interests)


Implementation plan, digital records and training

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care partially fulfilled a request for implementation plans, digital record policies, and training statistics, providing specific documents for the Mental Health division and internal training data while refusing requests for non-existent policies and external accredited training records.

Implementation plans for most divisions were verbal arrangements rather than physical documents.

The requested new policy document and procedure for digital health records do not exist.

No staff attended formal accredited Records Management training as recorded by the Department.

The Department provided data on staff completing the mandatory 'Principles of Record Keeping for DHSC' eLearning module instead.

The response was issued on 27 April 2017 by Chief Executive Malcolm Couch.

Section 11(3)(a) - Practical refusal reason (information not held)


Orthodontic needs assessment

Summary: The requester asked for an orthodontic needs assessment and tender application form, but the Department of Health and Social Care refused to disclose them citing commercial interests.

The request was made on 23 May 2017 regarding orthodontic procurement.

The Department withheld the information under Section 30 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The refusal was based on the tender process being ongoing.

The Information Commissioner upheld the decision partially on 29 June 2017.

The response was issued by the Chief Executive's Office at Crookall House.

Section 30 (economy and commercial interests)


Communications with ICO relating to Digital Inclusion Strategy

Summary: A request was made for emails between the Department of Health and Social Care and the Information Commissioner regarding the Digital Inclusion Strategy from May 2016 to May 2017. The authority responded that the information was not held as no such communications occurred during the specified period.

The request was received on 23 May 2017 and responded to on 21 June 2017.

The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed no emails were sent to the Information Commissioner's Office regarding the Digital Strategy during the requested timeframe.

The refusal was based on the practical reason that the information is not held.

The response was issued by the Freedom of Information Team under Chief Executive Malcolm Couch.

Applicants have the right to request an internal review or appeal to the Information Commissioner if dissatisfied.

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


Medical Negligence etc

Summary: The request sought details on medical negligence insurance and payment history for Noble's Hospital from 2007 to 2017. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed self-insurance and disclosed annual settlement and cost figures from 2012/13 to 2016/17, while withholding pre-2011 data and individual cost breakdowns due to legal exemptions.

The Isle of Man Government self-insures Noble's Hospital against medical negligence claims.

Information requested prior to October 11, 2011, falls outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

Individual cost data was withheld as it constitutes personal data under the Data Protection Act 2002.

Annual settlement and cost totals were provided for the financial years 2012/13 through 2016/17.

No settlements or damages were paid in the 2016/17 financial year.

Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Absolutely exempt personal information)

Temporal scope limitation (information created before 11 October 2011)


Patient Record for Transgenderism - Ambulance Service

Summary: A request was made for information on how gender is recorded on Ambulance Service Patient Report Forms for a dissertation on transgenderism. The Department of Health and Social Care stated the information was not held and noted the request was invalid under the Freedom of Information Act 2015 because the requester was not an Isle of Man resident.

The request concerned gender recording on Ambulance Service Patient Report Forms.

The Department of Health and Social Care responded that the information was not held.

The request was deemed invalid under Section 9 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 due to the requester not being an Isle of Man resident.

The authority offered to respond under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information instead.

The response was issued on 08 June 2017 regarding a request received on 07 June 2017.

Section 9 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (request not from an Isle of Man resident)


Noble's Hospital Administrative Review

Summary: A request was made for a 2015-2016 independent review of clinical administration staffing and processes at Noble's Hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care provided the report partially, withholding certain sections under statutory exemptions.

The requested document is the 'Department of Health and Social Care Noble's Hospital Clinical Administration Review Report'.

The review was dated 15 January 2016 and covered clinical administration teams staffing and processes.

The response was issued on 15 August 2017 by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The request was made under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The response included a Redactions Log detailing the reasons for exemptions.

Statutory exemptions (specific sections not detailed in the provided text, referenced in Redactions Log)


Number of consultant, junior doctor and doctor posts and waiting times for operations

Summary: The request sought staffing numbers and vacancy rates for doctors at Noble's Hospital, operation waiting times, and a specific letter regarding the Chief Executive. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed staffing figures but refused to provide waiting times in the requested format or the letter citing personal data and public business exemptions.

Total posts for Consultants, Doctors, and Junior Doctors at Noble's Hospital were 146 as of 30 June 2017.

There were 20 vacant posts across these categories as of 30 June 2017.

Waiting times for all operations were not provided because the Department does not hold the data in the requested format.

A letter regarding the Chief Executive was withheld under exemptions for personal data and conduct of public business.

The response was issued on 27 July 2017 following a request received on 3 July 2017.

Section 11(3)(b) - Information not held in requested format

Section 8(3) - Not required to create or derive information

Section 19 - Absolute exemption for confirming or denying existence of information

Section 25(2) - Absolutely exempt personal information

Section 35(c) - Conduct of public business


MHC Contract

Summary: The requester asked for the tender document, current contract, and recent payment details for Manx Home Care's cleaning services. The Department of Health and Social Care refused to disclose this information citing commercial sensitivity but provided the service specification instead.

The request was made on 01 July 2017 and responded to on 27 July 2017.

The contract in question is for a cleaning service provided by Manx Home Care.

The Department refused to release the tender document, contract, and payment details.

The refusal was based on the information being commercially sensitive and prejudicial to the Island's economic interests.

Appendix 01 containing the service specification was provided as an alternative.

01 July 2017
27 July 2017
IM93-784i
Section 30
Appendix 01
last 3 months

Section 30 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (prejudice to economic interests)


Endoscopy 1

Summary: A request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for data on endoscopy operations at Nobles Hospital, including historical completion rates, current waiting list numbers, and future planned procedures. The authority responded by providing full disclosure of weekly statistics for the previous 12 weeks, the total number of patients waiting, and a schedule of booked and available slots for the upcoming 12 weeks.

The request covered endoscopy operations at Nobles Hospital for the last 12 weeks and the next 12 weeks.

As of July 2017, there were 1,320 patients on the waiting list for endoscopy procedures.

Weekly completed procedures ranged from 45 to 62 over the 12-week period ending July 2017.

Future planning data includes specific counts for booked procedures and urgent cancer endoscopy slots.

The response was issued on 28 July 2017 with all information provided.

1,320 patients
45 procedures
51 procedures
50 procedures
52 procedures
49 procedures
48 procedures
60 procedures
62 procedures
57 procedures
10 April 2017
03 July 2017
10 July 2017
18 September 2017
93 booked
16 urgent cancer
53 available


Metal Hip Replacements

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care provided data on the number of metal hip replacements performed on Manx residents for 2015, 2016, and part of 2017. The response clarified that these figures exclude metal-on-metal replacements, which are not performed locally but are followed up for patients who received them in the UK.

The request was made on 01 July 2017 and responded to on 28 July 2017.

109 metal hip implants were inserted in 2015.

142 metal hip implants were inserted in 2016.

65 metal hip implants were inserted as of 18 July 2017.

Metal-on-metal hip replacements are not performed at Noble's Hospital.


Endoscopy 2

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care provided endoscopy procedure statistics for Noble's Hospital and Ramsey, along with costs for UK-based procedures, but refused to disclose the specific usage count of transferred equipment due to practical limitations.

Endoscopy procedure data was provided monthly from April 2016 to April 2017 and weekly thereafter.

56 endoscopy procedures were carried out on Manx residents in the UK during the 2016-17 financial year.

The cost of UK-based procedures to the Department was £22,067.

Equipment from Ramsey was transferred to Noble's Hospital on 08 June 2017 and became available for use on 14 June 2017.

The specific number of times the transferred equipment has been used could not be provided as it is now in general circulation.

Section 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Practical refusal reason: information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps)


Copy of Safeguarding Children's Board Report

Summary: The applicant requested a copy of an investigation report into the Department of Health and Social Care's Children and Family Services that they believed was presented to Tynwald on 18 July 2017. The Department responded that it does not hold the report as it was not yet presented to Tynwald and cannot be released until after its official publication in October 2017.

The requested report was not presented to Tynwald on 18 July 2017 as the applicant believed.

A statement was made on 18 July 2017 that the report would be brought to Tynwald for debate in October 2017.

The Department does not currently hold the final report as it has not yet been received.

The report cannot be released until after its official publication to Tynwald members.

The response cites section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 regarding information not held.


Methadone and Drug Substitutes

Summary: A Freedom of Information request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for spending data and patient registration numbers regarding methadone and drug substitutes for 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. The authority responded by providing full disclosure of prescribing costs from 2013/14 to 2016/17 and annual patient snapshots for November 2015 and October 2016.

The Department of Health and Social Care provided spending data for drug substitutes covering financial years 2013/14 through 2016/17.

Buprenorph HCl/Naloxone HCl was the most expensive drug substitute category in all reported years.

Patient registration numbers for Opiate Replacement Medication increased from 122 in November 2015 to 142 in October 2016.

The total cost for all listed drug substitutes across the four-year period was £302,693.26.

No information was withheld; the outcome was classified as 'All information sent'.

£63,563.99 (Buprenorph HCl/Naloxone HCl 2016/17)

£8,739.21 (Methadone Hydrochloride 2016/17)


IRB 02

Summary: A request was made for detailed statistics and financial data regarding the Independent Review Body (IRB) from 2011 to 2017, including complaint numbers, expert reports, and settlement costs. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that they do not hold the requested information and suggested contacting the Cabinet Office instead.

The request covered 16 specific questions regarding the IRB for the years 2011-2017.

The Department of Health and Social Care stated they do not hold the information.

The authority suggested the requester contact the Cabinet Office for assistance.

The response was issued on 11 August 2017 under FOI Reference IM96-886i.

The request was received on 28 July 2017.

section11(3)(a) of the Act (Information not held)


Indemnity

Summary: The requester asked for details regarding the Isle of Man Government's medical and dental indemnity providers and associated costs from 2011 to present. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that it self-insures, meaning no external companies are used and no annual costs are paid to insurers.

The Department of Health and Social Care self-insures for medical and dental indemnity.

No external companies are engaged to provide indemnity insurance for the Department.

There is no annual cost paid to indemnity companies because the Department self-insures.

The request covered the period from 2011 to the date of the response (2017).

Information regarding a breakdown of monies by profession (medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy) was not provided due to the self-insurance status.


IRB 03

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care conducted an internal review regarding training records, hospital data collection, and annual reports for the Independent Review Body (IRB). The authority confirmed it did not hold specific training evidence, clarified that the IRB is not subject to FOI, and directed the requester to online resources for annual reports.

The Department does not hold evidence of training for IRB members since 2011.

The Independent Review Body (IRB) is not a public authority under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

Noble's Hospital patient safety team collates information requested by the IRB.

Annual reports to Tynwald are considered reasonably accessible online and were not re-provided.

The internal review was conducted by Mr Paul Edge, Head of Business Information Management.

Section 11(3)(a) - Information not held by the public authority

Section 20 - Information already reasonably accessible


Medical professionals accused of criminal offences.

Summary: The requester asked for policies regarding medical professionals accused of criminal offences, departmental liability, and resolution procedures. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed all requested information, providing three specific policy documents and links to external professional body codes.

The Department of Health and Social Care provided the 'Maintaining High Professional Standards Policy' for handling concerns regarding medical and dental staff.

The Department confirmed it is legally liable for the negligent acts of its employees under the principle of vicarious liability.

The 'Department of Health and Social Care Indemnity Policy' was provided to address liability arrangements.

The 'Isle of Man Government Department of Health and Social Care Disciplinary Procedure' was supplied as the resolution policy.

The response included links to codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures for the General Medical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Health & Care Professions Council.


tender procedures

Summary: A request was made regarding the tender procedures for cleaning services involving a company registered by Mrs Beecroft. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that Manx Home Care was the successful tenderer, provided the tender receipt date, stated the maximum contract length, and clarified that no FD8 waiver was required as the process was competitive.

Manx Home Care t/a Manx Cleaners was the successful tenderer for cleaning services in 2013.

No FD8 waiver was sought because the procurement process received submissions from multiple organizations.

The tender was received on 25 July 2012.

The maximum permissible contract length is five years.

The request was received on 05 August 2017 and responded to on 01 September 2017.


Communication (emails, notes, text messages, documents) between your director of policy and Minister regarding reducing the eligibility of free prescriptions for Isle of Man residents

Summary: A request was made for communications between the Director of Policy and Minister Kate Beecroft regarding reducing free prescription eligibility, resulting in the release of some emails and notes while other documents were withheld due to exemptions.

The request was submitted on 2017-08-06 and responded to on 2017-09-07 by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Emails dated 22-Feb-2017 and 09-10-May-2017 between the Minister and Director of Strategy and Policy were provided.

Speaking notes prepared for the Minister for a presentation on 01-Aug-17 were released as an aide memoire.

An attachment from 22-Feb-2017 was redacted under section 34 regarding government policy formulation.

Personal data within the released emails was exempted under section 25 of the Act.

Section 34(1)(b)(i) (Formulation or development of government policy)

Section 34(1)(b)(ii) (Communications between Ministers)


Everall Report 2006

Summary: The requester asked the Department of Health and Social Care for details on the implementation of the 132 recommendations from the 2006 Everall Report. The department responded that it does not hold this information because responsibility for implementation was assigned to the Chief Secretary's Office.

The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the requested information regarding the Everall Report recommendations.

Responsibility for implementing the recommendations was assigned to the Chief Secretary's Office as the report covered multiple departments.

A similar question was answered in Tynwald in October 2015 regarding outstanding recommendations.

The requester was advised to contact the Cabinet Office or consult the Tynwald website for further information.

The response was issued on 1 September 2017 under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

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


funding from the department to provide pregnancy advice or counselling services to the public

Summary: The requester asked for details of funding provided by the Department of Health and Social Care to organizations for pregnancy advice or counselling since 2011. The Department responded that it does not hold this information because it does not fund any organization specifically for these services, though such advice is available within existing primary and secondary care services.

The Department of Health and Social Care does not fund any organization specifically to provide pregnancy advice and counselling.

Pregnancy advice and counselling are available as part of primary care, secondary care, Family Planning, and Genito-urinary medicine services.

The request covered the period from 2011 to the date of the response.

The response was issued on 09 August 2017 under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The outcome of the request was classified as 'Information not held'.


cannabis licenses issued

Summary: The requester asked for details on cannabis licenses and end-of-life policies in the Isle of Man. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed no cannabis licenses were issued but could not provide specific hospice policies as the hospice is a private charity, though they shared a joint end-of-life care document.

No cannabis licenses have been requested or issued to companies or individuals in the Isle of Man.

Hospice Isle of Man is a registered charity and not part of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Hospice Isle of Man is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

A document titled 'Care of dying adults in the last days of life' was provided, developed jointly by the Hospice and the Department.

The joint document is based on NICE Guideline 31.

Section S11(3)(a) of the Act (Information not held by the authority)


Cost of TT

Summary: A request for costs related to the 2017 Isle of Man TT and Festival of Motorcycling was partially fulfilled by the Department of Health and Social Care, which disclosed medical staffing and bed costs but stated it did not hold data on rescue helicopter expenses.

The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold information on the costs of the three rescue helicopters used during the 2017 TT.

Five additional orthopaedic doctors were employed for TT 2017 at a cost of £30,902.

An additional late shift in the Anaesthetic Department cost £8,330.

The average cost of an ICU bed for 24 hours is £1,950, while a standard ward bed costs £350.

Nine patients were transported to Aintree Major Trauma Centre, with costs recovered via insurance or direct payment.


Endoscopy procedures carried out in Nobles Hospital in the Month of July 2017

Summary: A request was made for the number of endoscopy procedures performed at Nobles Hospital in July 2017, and the Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the total count along with a breakdown by procedure type.

362 endoscopy procedures were undertaken in July 2017 at Nobles Hospital.

The procedures included 137 colonoscopies, 120 OGDs, and 61 urological endoscopies.

The total number of procedures does not equal the number of patients, as some had multiple procedures.

The response was issued on 30 August 2017 following a request received on 15 August 2017.

No information was withheld under any exemptions.


travel and hotel costs the Dept has incurred for Consultants and Doctors visiting the island for the last 12 months.

Summary: The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the total travel and accommodation costs incurred for visiting consultants and doctors over the 12 months prior to August 2017. The response provided a breakdown of these expenses by division, totaling £28,853.48.

The request covered travel and hotel costs for consultants and doctors visiting the Isle of Man for the last 12 months.

The Medical Division incurred the highest costs with a total of £21,029.47.

The Surgical Division had no accommodation costs but incurred £4,550.66 in travel costs.

The total expenditure across all divisions was £28,853.48.

The response was issued on 23 September 2017 following a request received on 17 August 2017.


prescriptions issued

Summary: A request was made for prescription statistics and patient counts for specific age groups in the Isle of Man between March 2016 and April 2017. The Department of Health and Social Care provided data on patient numbers and total prescriptions issued but refused to disclose the specific number of individuals who paid for prescriptions, citing the cost of compilation.

The request covered the period from March 2016 to April 2017.

There were 7,833 patients aged over 75 registered with a GP as of July 1, 2017.

There were 56,103 patients aged 16-65 registered with a GP as of July 1, 2017.

471,955 prescriptions were issued to patients over 75 during the specified period.

672,671 prescriptions were issued to patients aged 16-65 during the specified period.

S11(3)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (substantial compilation or collation of information)


MH Admin review

Summary: The requester asked for the 2015/16 administrative support review report for the Mental Health Directorate at Noble Hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care released the full report but redacted personal data under Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

The review was commissioned by the Mental Health Service in 2016 and conducted by Gaye Miller in November 2016.

Personal data was removed from the released document in accordance with Section 25 exemptions.

A recommendation to recruit a Clinical Administration Manager has been progressed with a post currently advertised.

The Mental Health Management Board has not yet agreed on which recommendations to take forward pending further evidence.

The response was issued on 18 September 2017 with FOI reference IM99-803i.

Section 25, Absolutely Exempt Personal Information


Staff employed by the Department of Health and Social Care in media relations, public relations and marketing roles

Summary: The request sought the number of staff and total annual costs for media relations, public relations, and marketing roles within the Department of Health and Social Care for the past five years. The authority disclosed data for the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years, noting that costs became nil from April 2014 after roles were transferred to the Cabinet Office.

In the financial year ending 31 March 2013, three people were employed in these roles at a cost of £81,037.

In the financial year ending 31 March 2014, three people were engaged, but one post was not filled for the full year, resulting in a cost of £59,403.

On 1 April 2014, the remaining two posts were transferred to the Cabinet Office Communications Team as part of a move to Shared Services.

Following the transfer on 1 April 2014, the cost to the Department for these specific roles was nil.

The provided figures exclude posts engaged in social marketing as part of the Public Health Directorate's activities.


Prescribing of Statins

Summary: A request for detailed data on statin prescribing, costs, and patient volumes in the Isle of Man was partially fulfilled, with information provided for primary care and hospital outpatients but withheld for inpatients and specific cost breakdowns due to data limitations.

The Department of Health and Social Care provided data on statin products and dosages for Primary Care (GPs) and Noble's Hospital Outpatients.

Information on Noble's Hospital Inpatient prescriptions was withheld because compiling it would require substantial research into individual patient records.

Total cost data for the last three financial years could not be provided as the Pharmaceutical Advisor's data is not processed to allow for such extrapolation.

Data regarding dental prescriptions and costs per care home was not held by the authority.

Noble's Hospital Pharmacy dispenses inpatient medication based on a specific contract brand formulary rather than individual prescriptions.

28 February 2017
25 September 2017
5 pages
IM100-487i
Rosuvastatin

S11(3)(b) - Substantial compilation or collation of information

S11(3)(a) - Information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps


Noble's Records

Summary: A request was made for details regarding medical records management, storage locations, and the MediViewer digital system at Noble's Hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed contact details for records management, confirmed onsite storage of archives, and outlined retention periods, but withheld the disaster recovery plan citing national security and health safety exemptions.

Mrs Gaye Miller is the qualified Records Management staff member at Noble's Hospital.

All archived medical records are stored onsite at Noble's Hospital, not by private contractors.

Deceased patient paper records are archived no later than twelve months after death.

Living patient records are maintained in the active library with parts archived based on capacity needs.

The disaster recovery plan for the MediViewer system was withheld.

Section 28 (national security and defence)