Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for information about the Trust under the Freedom of Information Act?

• Requests for information from the Trust under the Freedom of Information Act must be received in writing (this DOES include emails).
• The request must be sent to the Freedom of Information Officer at FOI@cht.nhs.uk or to Freedom of Information Officer, Trust Offices, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Acre Street, Lindley, Huddersfield, HD3 3EA.
• The request must include a name, contact details and a description of the data requested, to enable an accurate reply to be sent.

Who can request information?

• The “Rights of Access” provided by the Freedom of Information Act ensure that anyone can apply for information - whoever and wherever they are.

Do I have to say why I am applying for information?

• There is no requirement to state why a FOI request is been made. However, in practice, it must be made clear what information exactly is required. If the information is not described in such a way that we can understand what  information is being requested, we will need to speak with the requester to ensure an accurate answer is given.

Does the Trust have a responsibility to reply?

The Trust has a general duty to be as helpful as possible in providing the information requested.

In addition the Trust has certain responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act:

• The Trust must write back as soon as possible to confirm receipt of the request
• The Trust has 20 working days to respond (even if it is a negative response) to the request
• If any requested information is exempt from disclosure (i.e. personal data), then the Trust must explain what this means and why the data is considered exempt
• Any complaints relating to FOI should initially be dealt with via the Trusts complaints procedure. This can then be escalated to the Information Commissioner if the Trust complaints procedure fails to resolve the issue.