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Our ref: DE-1165296

Dear Ms Prentice,
 
Thank you for your correspondence of 31 January about historical cases.  I
have been asked to reply.

I should first note that the Freedom of Information Act only applies to
recorded information such as paper or electronic archive material.  As
your correspondence asked for general information, rather than requesting
recorded information or documentation, it did not fall under the
provisions of the Act.

I note your continuing concerns and questions about the PHSO Annual
Scrutiny 2016–17 : Government and PHSO Response to the Committee’s Third
Report, and what the Department is doing to establish a process to address
unresolved cases, aimed at providing truth, justice and reconciliation, to
address the concerns of patients, families and staff affected, as quoted
from the Government’s response.

Your questions and requests are:

1. Please tell me what possible approaches have been considered?

2. Who has been considering?

3. What has been the outcome of the consideration?

This work remains ongoing and no decision has yet been made.  I cannot
therefore answer your specific questions other than by indicating that
Departmental officials are considering their advice to ministers on the
best way to address the complex issue of historical cases.  The Government
remains committed to making the NHS the safest health system in the world,
supported by a culture of learning, high-quality investigations and the
involvement of patients and families in improving safety.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.

Yours sincerely,
 
Rory Howard
Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries
Department of Health and Social Care

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