This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'GP clinical systems'.




 
 
 
Chief Executive  
 
2 Franklin Street 
  
BELFAST 
 
BT2 8DQ 
 
 
 
Tel:        028 9536 3863 
 
Email:    xxx.xxx@xxxxx.xxx 
 
 
21st July 2020 
 
BY EMAIL 
request-666357-
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
 
 
 
Our Ref: FOI 1255 
 
 
Dear Mr Kurt, 
 
Your request for information was received on 10th June 2020 and was dealt with under 
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please be advised that the 
Business Services Organisation (BSO) has now completed its search for the 
information you requested with regards to a list of GP practices in Northern Ireland 
and the clinical system they use. 
 
Firstly, please accept my apologies for the delay in providing you with a formal 
response regarding your request. 
 
Please find this information below: 
 
I must advise you that the information pertaining to clinical systems used by GP 
Practices in Northern Ireland has been considered exempt from disclosure in line with 
Section 31 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ('Law Enforcement'). 
 
I should explain that BSO's Information Technology Service (ITS) has been  
commissioned to provide ICT shared services to the wider Health and Social Care  
(HSC). Essential elements of the service include the security of the data held and the 
protection of the HSC network boundary Section 31 is also a qualified exemption 
which means that the public interest test (PIT) must be considered. This involves 
weighing the harm resulting from possible disclosure against the likely benefit to the 
wider public. 
 
A copy of PIT is attached for your reference. In considering the PIT, I 
acknowledge that there may be a public interest for disclosure in line with BSO's 
requirement to be open and transparent in its use of public monies and provision 
of public services. However, while I make no suggestion that there is  
 
 


 
 
 
any malicious intent on your part; provision (and therefore publication) would be  
capable of making BSO, and the wider Health and Social Care, vulnerable to 
malicious attack. I therefore consider that the public interest in withholding this  
information outweighs the public interest in supplying it. 
  
However, please find below GP Practice information that is already out in the  
public domain: 
 
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/gp-practices 
  
http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/1816.htm 
 
 
I hope that the information provided assists you. If you are dissatisfied in any way with 
the handling of your request, you have the right to request a review. You should do 
this as soon as possible or in any case within two months of the date of issue of this 
letter.  
 
In the event that you require a review to be undertaken, you can do so by writing to 
 
Information Governance Manager,  
2 Franklin Street,  
Belfast,  
BT2 8DQ 
 
If, following an internal review, carried out by an independent decision making panel, 
you remain dissatisfied in any way with the handling of the request, you may make a 
complaint under Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act, to the Information 
Commissioner’s Office and ask that they investigate whether the BSO has complied 
with the terms of the Freedom of Information Act. 
 
You can contact Information Commissioner at: 
 
Website:  
www.ico.org.uk 
Phone:  
0303 123 1113 
Email:  
xxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx 
Post:  
Information Commissioner's Office 
3rd Floor, 14 Cromac Place 
Belfast 
BT7 2JB 
 
In most circumstances the Information Commissioner will not investigate a complaint 
unless an internal review procedure has been carried out. However the Commissioner 
has the option to investigate the matter at his discretion. 
Yours Sincerely, 
 
Karen Bailey 
Acting Chief Executive