This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely published by Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. It is a description of the information about our Trust, which we make publicly available. We review the Scheme at six monthly intervals and monitor how it is operating.
It is important to us that this Scheme meets your needs and we have designed it to be a route map so that you can find information about Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust easily. Under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (there is a link to the Act in Part Three), the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust has a legal duty to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme for the publication of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust information. The purpose of the Act is to promote greater openness by public authorities (of which Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust is one).
The Publication Scheme will help you to find all the information which the Trust publishes. The Freedom of Information Act does not change the right of patients to protection of their patient confidentiality in accordance with Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention, the Data Protection Act and at common law. Maintaining the legal right to patient confidentiality continues to be an important commitment on our part. To help with this, we have appointed someone who is called a Caldicott Guardian, and who has responsibility to ensure the protection of patient confidentiality throughout the Trust in accordance with your legal rights. In Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust our Caldicott Guardian is:
The Medical Director,Information falling into the classes will be retained in line with the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust’s retention and disposal schedules, which comply with circular HSC 1999/53 and Public Record Office Guidance.
Information not required for the business purposes of the Trust is stored at the Trust/ at a place of deposit approved by the Lord Chancellor for the purpose of holding public records.
Any questions, comments or complaints about this Scheme should be sent in writing to the Chief Executive, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 8BJ. If you have a complaint about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust has dealt with your request for information from the Scheme, please write to:
The Information CommissionerAt the present time in addition to accessing the information identified in this Publication Scheme, you are entitled to request information about Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust under the NHS Openness code 1995. A link to this is available in Part 3 of the Scheme and hard copies are available free of charge from the Department of Health. Sometimes, some or all of the information cannot be provided and we will explain the reasons why not when this happens.
The Freedom of Information Act recognises that as a member of the public, you have the right to know how public services such as the NHS are organised and run, how much they cost and how you can make complaints if you need to. You have the right to know which services are being provided, the targets that are being set, the standards of services that are expected and the results achieved.
From January 1st 2005 it will also oblige Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust to respond to requests about the information which it holds and is recorded in any form and it will create a right of access to that information. The rights to request and access this information are subject to some exemptions, which the Trust has to take into consideration before deciding what information can be released.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are entitled to access you clinical records or any other personal information held about you and you can contact Medical Records at Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury Wiltshire, SP2 8BJ to do this.
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) have a valuable role to play in supporting delivery of improvements in performance particularly in key areas such as energy, water and waste. Information is available from the Department of Health.
Our staff at Salisbury District Hospital have long been well regarded for the quality of care and treatment they provide for our patients and for their innovation, commitment and professionalism. This has been recognised in a wide range of achievements and it is reflected in our award of NHS Foundation Trust status. This is afforded to hospitals that provide the highest standards of care.