Publication Scheme

Access to Information

Information about your personal treatment and care will normally be something you will discuss with the healthcare professionals with whom you come into contact.

However there may be other issues about which you would like further information.

Access to information we hold about you

If you want to ask us for information, which we may hold about you personally, then this will be dealt with under the Data Protection Act 1998. This would include information relating to health records, employment and training records - anything which is limited to you as a person whether as a patient, employee or contractor.

For all requests you will need to enclose proof of identity - a formal document or bill with your name and address on it or your driving licence or passport. If you are requesting a copy of your medical records you must also enclose a cheque for £50.00 or £10.00 for any other kind of information personal to you.

To access this type of information, please read the guide and complete an 'Application for Personal Information' form (Click here to download a copy) and return the completed form, together with the fee (where appropriate).

For access to your health records to:

Medical Records Manager
Medical Records Department
University Hospital Lewisham
Lewisham High Street
London
SE13 6LH

For access to your employee record to:

Trust Staffing & Medical Education Department
University Hospital Lewisham
Lewisham High Street
London
SE13 6LH

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For access to any other type of personal information we hold please contact the Manager of the department you last had contact.

If you are not able to access the form, you can write to us specifying the kind of information you wish to be made available.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998 we have 40 working days to provide the information you ask for. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the way in which we deal with your request you may write to:

Director of Knowledge, Governance and Communications
Lewisham Hospital,
Lewisham High Street,
London,
SE13 6LH

Any review will be under the control and direction of a senior member of staff who had no involvement in the original decision or process.

If you remain dissatisfied at the conclusion of any review you may complain to the Information Commissioner whose address is:

Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK95 5AF
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

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Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Publication Scheme

In order to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 public sector organisations such as ours have to routinely publish information whenever possible.

The Information Commissioner, who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, has drawn up what is called a Model Publication Scheme for all public sector organisations (Click here to view a copy on the Information Commissioner's website) which we have formally committed to and decided to adopt. The Commissioner has also published a 'Definition Document for NHS Organisations' (Click here to view a copy on the Information Commissioner's website) which sets out in some detail what the minimum expectations are as far as we are concerned.

We have reviewed the information we routinely put into the public domain to ensure we are compliant with the Definition document. You will be able to see where we don't hold relevant information or where for some reason we have decided not to routinely disclose information identified in the Definition document by referring to our Publication Scheme Guide to Information

Fees and Charges.

The Freedom of Information Act and the associated Fees Regulations stipulate that we cannot levy a fee for information unless there is a statutory basis for doing so or the amount of time taken to locate the information exceeds 18 hours. However we are allowed to charge for disbursements related to the provision of information and any reformatting requested by the applicant provided we ensure that applicants are aware of any charges which may be made.

Accessing information which is not included in the Publication Scheme.

As an open and transparent organisation we are committed to routinely publishing as much information as possible; such information is continually updated.

However, if you want information which is not on our website or otherwise available through our guide to information you may ask us for it in accordance with further provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and of the Environmental Information Regulations 2005.

If you cannot find information through the search engine and we have indicated in the definition document that the information is routinely available this may be because the information cannot be loaded onto our website.

In such circumstances please either email foi@uhl.nhs.uk, or write to:

The Communications Department,
Lewisham Hospital,
Lewisham High Street,
London,
SE13 6LH.

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By law we have to deal with such requests within 20 working days. If you make a request and are not satisfied with the way in which we deal with it you may ask us to review any decision we make. If you wish us to undertake such a review you should write to:

Director of Knowledge, Governance and Communications
Lewisham Hospital,
Lewisham High Street,
London,
SE13 6LH.

Any review will normally be under the control and direction of a senior member of staff who had no involvement in the original decision or process

If you remain dissatisfied at the conclusion of any review you may complain to the Information Commissioner whose address is:

Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK95 5AF
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

If you want any further information about the provision of information or have any difficulty accessing information provided on our website please contact:

Head of Communications,
The Communications Department,
Lewisham Hospital,
Lewisham High Street,
London,
SE13 6LH

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