META request regarding publication of Testing 'VIP's

The request was partially successful.

Dear Department of Health and Social Care,

A - On the 21 December 2022, UKHSA provided a response to my FOI regarding 'details of 'referrers' to the 'VIP' Covid testing route' (ICO Case reference: IC-150101-Z2Z4). The response was sent to my email address and also to my 'What do they know' account.

B - Furthermore on the same day UKHSA published a similar response on its website titled 'Covid-19 testing procurement' (Link - https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...).

My Request:

1 - Please provide a copy of all email correspondence held regarding the handling of my Freedom of Information request (Referenced in item A and B above),.

Note - Please limit the search to correspondence between officials within the UKHSA and DHSC FOI teams, press teams and ministerial offices.

I look forward to receiving a response within 20 working days

Yours faithfully,

russell scott

Department of Health and Social Care

This is an acknowledgement - please do not reply to this email.

Thank you for contacting the Department of Health and Social Care. 

If your enquiry is in relation to the pandemic, the Government has
launched a COVID-19 ‘hub’, which can be found
at [1]www.gov.uk/coronavirus and is regularly updated. 

The answers to many other questions can be found on [2]GOV.UK,
the [3]Department of Health and Social Care website or by visiting
the [4]NHS website. We may not respond to you if the answer to your
enquiry can be found on either of these websites. Where a reply is
appropriate, we aim to send a response within 20 working days.
 
Please note that the department cannot arrange vaccinations. [5]This
webpage gives information on vaccination. You can also contact your GP,
clinical commissioning group or call 119.

 

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you must get tested as soon as possible.
The swab test takes less than a minute and is pain-free. Results from test
sites are generally received within 24 hours of the test being
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To find out how to apply for a medical or compassionate exemption, please
visit
[9]www.gov.uk/guidance/exemptions-from-managed-quarantine-for-compassionate-reasons.

If you have been in quarantine and have a complaint about the hotel,
please raise your concerns with the hotel itself in the first instance. If
your complaint is unresolved, please email the complaints team at
[10][email address].
 
If you are writing in connection with an NHS or social care service please
note that the department does not manage health and social services
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advice or intervene in matters concerning patient care or social services.
If you wish to make a complaint about a healthcare professional, an NHS
organisation or a social care provider, please visit [11]this link.

 
If you would like to raise your concerns about a COVID-19 testing
provider, or have any other NHS Test and Trace enquiries, you can
contact [12]NHS Test and Trace enquiries, feedback and complaints. 

Our [13]Personal information charter and [14]privacy notice explain how we
treat your personal information.

 

This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
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permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
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References

Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
2. https://www.gov.uk/
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
4. https://www.nhs.uk/
5. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
6. https://www.gov.uk/getting-tested-for-co...
7. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-the-gov...
8. https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/
9. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
10. mailto:[email address]
11. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-t...
12. https://enquiries.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/...
13. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
14. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

Department of Health and Social Care

Dear Mr Scott,

Thank you for your request of 22 December under the Freedom of Information
Act (our ref: FOI-1431484, COVID-19 testing procurement).

I am writing to inform you that the Department's consideration of the
balance of the public interest with regards to your request is not yet
complete, and requires further time to complete in line with Section 10(3)
of the FOI Act.

The Department is currently assessing the public interest in release under
section 42 (Legal professional privilege).

We anticipate this process will take no longer than a further 20 working
days to complete.  We therefore aim to respond fully to your request by 24
February.
 
Please accept my apologies for this delay.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
 

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Department of Health and Social Care

 
Dear Mr Scott,

Thank you for your request of 22 December under the Freedom of Information
Act (our ref: FOI-1431484, COVID-19 testing procurement).

I am writing to inform you that the Department's consideration of the
balance of the public interest with regards to your request is not yet
complete, and requires further time to complete in line with Section 10(3)
of the FOI Act.

The Department is currently assessing the public interest in release under
section 42 (Legal professional privilege).

We anticipate this process will take no longer than a further 20 working
days to complete.  We therefore aim to respond fully to your request by 24
March.
 
Please accept my apologies for this further delay.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.

Department of Health and Social Care

Dear Mr Scott,

Thank you for your request of 22 December under the Freedom of Information
Act (our ref: FOI-1431484, COVID-19 testing procurement).

I am writing to inform you that the Department's consideration of the
balance of the public interest with regards to your request is not yet
complete, and requires further time to complete in line with Section 10(3)
of the FOI Act.

The Department is currently assessing the public interest in release under
section 42 (Legal professional privilege).

We anticipate this process will take no longer than a further 20 working
days to complete.  We therefore aim to respond fully to your request by 24
April. 
 
Please accept my apologies for this further delay.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.

Department of Health and Social Care

Dear Mr Scott,

Thank you for your request of 22 December under the Freedom of Information
Act (our ref: FOI-1431484, COVID-19 testing procurement).

I am writing to inform you that the Department's consideration of the
balance of the public interest with regards to your request is not yet
complete, and requires further time to complete in line with Section 10(3)
of the FOI Act.

The Department is currently assessing the public interest in release under
section 42 (Legal professional privilege).

We anticipate this process will take no longer than a further 20 working
days to complete.  We therefore aim to respond fully to your request by 25
May. 
 
Please accept my apologies for this further delay.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.

Dear Department of Health and Social Care,

Please provide a substantive response by 25 May 2023 at 5pm to avoid a formal complaint being issued to the ICO.

Yours faithfully,

russell scott

FreedomofInformation, Department of Health and Social Care

Dear Mr Scott,

We apologise for the further delay in responding to your request of 22 December (our ref: FOI-1431484).

We are still assessing the public interest in release under section 42 (Legal professional privilege), and aim to respond fully by 23 June.

Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care

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Department of Health and Social Care

Dear Mr Scott,

Thank you for your request of 22 December under the Freedom of Information
Act (our ref: FOI-1431484- Meta request)

I am writing to inform you that the Department's consideration of the
balance of the public interest with regards to your request is not yet
complete and requires further time to complete in line with Section 10(3)
of the FOI Act.

The Department is currently assessing the public interest in release under
Section 42 (Legal professional privilege).

We anticipate this process will take no longer than a further 20 working
days to complete.  We therefore aim to respond fully to your request by 21
July.
 
Please accept my apologies for this further delay.
Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
 

show quoted sections

Department of Health and Social Care

Dear Mr Scott,

Thank you for your request of 22 December under the Freedom of Information
Act (our ref: FOI-1431484- Meta request)

I am writing to inform you that the Department's consideration of the
balance of the public interest with regards to your request is not yet
complete and requires further time to complete in line with Section 10(3)
of the FOI Act.

The Department is currently assessing the public interest in release under
Section 42 (Legal professional privilege).

Please accept my apologies for this further delay. We aim to provide a
response to you next week.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
 
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.

Department of Health and Social Care

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Scott,

With apologies for the delay, please find attached the Department of
Health and Social Care's response to your FOI request (our ref:
FOI-1431484).  

Yours sincerely, 

Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care

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