Manchester Royal Infirmary

Trust Headquarters

Cobbett House

Oxford Road

Manchester M13 9WL

15 April 2010

Direct Line: 0161 276 4878

Fax: 0161 276 8037

Mr N Jones

Freedom of Information & Data Protection Manager

Email: nicholas.jones2@cmft.nhs.uk

Ref: NTJ/FOI0

Dear Ms Griffiths

Thank you for your request for information, received on 5 March 2010. I am sorry for the delay in providing you with this response.

1. How many requests do you get under the DPA each year?

Figures for requests for access to medical records dealt with by the central Medical Records Department are as follows.

         2008:   1257 requests. 

         2009:   1978 requests. 

         2010 to date: 523 requests.

In addition to this the following numbers of requests have been received by the Trust's Emergency Department:

2008: 2880 requests

2009:  3209 requests

2010 to date:   691 requests

Please note that requests for medical records received by the Trust have been handled centrally within the Trust since October 2007, and at this time new software for tracking requests was first used. Figures are therefore not available before this time.

Figures for subject access requests other than for medical records are not centrally recorded.

2. How do you verify the authenticity of DPA requests?

For patient requests we require a form to be completed and returned with written consent from the patient (or the parent/guardian if the patient is a minor). We also require a copy of proof of identity such as a birth certificate, driving licence or passport plus a recent utility bill.

We require that solicitors obtain the written consent of the patient (or parent/guardian if the patient is a minor) and send it to us with the request.

3. Do you conduct regular DPA audits / have an auditing policy?

No

4. Do you maintain data on errors in information covered by the DPA?

        This information is not recorded.

I hope that the above information is useful to you. If you have any queries, please contact me, quoting the above reference number.

Alternatively, if you are unhappy with the service you have received in response to your request and you wish to make a complaint or request a review you should write to:

Mr Nick Bell

Head of Information

Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Cobbett House

Oxford Road

Manchester

M13 9WL

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can then ask the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to make a decision. Generally the ICO can not make a decision unless you have completed our internal complaints process.

The address for the ICO is:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely

Nicholas Jones

Freedom of Information & Data Protection Manager

Incorporating:

Royal Manchester Children's Hospital ♦Manchester Royal Infirmary ♦Manchester Royal Eye Hospital

Booth Hall Children's Hospital ♦Saint Mary's Hospital for Women and Children ♦ University Dental Hospital of Manchester