Making a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request

We are committed to being open and transparent, and we aim to respond to requests for information in a timely and efficient way. To help us do this, it is important that your request is clear, specific and appropriately focused from the outset.

Requests that are well defined - setting out exactly what information is required, including a clear timeframe and relevant context - enable us to locate and provide information more quickly. In contrast, requests that are vague, overly broad, or lacking sufficient detail are significantly more difficult to process and are likely to be delayed while we seek clarification.

Under the relevant legislation, we are not required to comply with requests that would place a disproportionate burden on the organisation. This includes requests that ask for large volumes of information, cover extensive or undefined time periods, or require us to search widely across multiple systems without clear parameters. Requests that are unclear or too broad may be refused or returned to you for refinement before we can proceed.

We also reserve the right to refuse requests that are repetitive or substantially similar to previous requests, or where the information is already reasonably accessible to you, including where it is published on our website.

Before submitting a request, you are encouraged to check whether the information you are seeking is already publicly available, as this is often the quickest way to access it without the need for a formal request.

Using public resources responsibly

Access to information is an important right, and we are committed to being open and transparent.

However, responding to requests takes time and uses public resources. This means every request has a cost, and we have a responsibility to ensure public money is used appropriately.

We can only provide information that we hold in a recorded form. This means we are not required to create new information, offer explanations, or provide opinions in response to a request.

We ask that requests are made thoughtfully. Requests that are trivial, repeated without good reason, or submitted in a way that places unnecessary burden on the organisation may not be processed.

Requests should not be used as a way of expressing dissatisfaction or as a means of pursuing complaints. In these cases, there are more appropriate routes available.

Where requests are considered unreasonable or place a disproportionate demand on resources, they may be refused in line with guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The Guide below will help you when making an FOI/SAR request

1. Request Type: What type of request are you making?

• Freedom of Information (FOI)
• Subject Access Request (SAR – your personal data)

If SAR selected: To help us locate your records, please provide:

• Full name
• Previous names (if applicable)
• Date of birth
• Relevant services or interactions
• Upload ID (optional at this stage)

Subject Access Request (SAR) - NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

2. Before You Submit: Have you checked whether this information is already published on our website (Search First)

• Yes
• No

(Many commonly requested items are already available and can be accessed quickly without submitting a formal request.)

3. Describe the Information You Need: Please clearly describe the information you are requesting  (Keep it clear)

(Be specific about what you need. Avoid broad requests such as ‘all information’. Include subject, context, and what exactly you want provided.)

4. Time Period: What time period does your request relate to (Be specific)

• From - To

(Requests without a defined timeframe may be delayed or refused.)

5. Service / Area: Which service, department or topic does your request relate to (be specific)

(e.g. Primary Care, Finance, Medicines, Other)

6. Level of Detail Check: Which best describes your request (be specific)

• A specific question or dataset
• Several related questions
• A large or complex request

(Large or complex requests may exceed legal time limits. We may contact you to refine your request before processing and we may refuse the request or charge a fee if the cost of retrieving the information exceeds a set limit)

7. Final Check - Before submitting, please confirm:

• My request is clear and specific
• I have included a time period
• I understand unclear or broad requests may be delayed or refused

8. Submission

Submit your request to stw.ssot.foi@nhs.net

Requests that are unclear, excessively broad, or require a disproportionate amount of time to process may be refused under applicable legislation.