Google has notified us that due to a request under data protection law in Europe, Google will no-longer be listing this request in search results for certain queries for names or other personal identifiers. Google has informed us that this only affects search results offered by European versions of Google.

When contacting us to tell us about this Google noted the request will still appear in the results for other searches. Google didn't disclose which searches this request will no-longer appear in response to, and pointed out that in many cases affected queries don’t relate to the name of any person mentioned prominently on the page.

Google has invited us to make representations to them if we want to make the case for reversing their decision. If you think there is a strong public interest case for showing this request in search results from which it is currently omitted, please feel free to get in touch with us and/or Google, making the case and providing evidence to support it. If we consider it appropriate we may pass the substance of what you say to Google.

We do not know who has asked Google to act, or on what basis Google has been asked to act.

Helen - WhatDoTheyKnow Service Manager

Another example of the GMC (IAT department) actively breaching GDPR

We have removed a response to this request, sent on 17/10/2013 at 11:59, as the attachments contained some information that we felt we were no longer able to publish. The text of the response was as follows:

Our reference: F13/5743/LG

Dear Jimmi

Thank you for your email dated 21 September 2013, in which you request information about doctors suspended or erased for disciplinary reasons in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

In response to your request please find attached a list of doctors Erased for disciplinary reasons or suspended following a FTP hearing in the years you enquire about.

You have also asked for the reasons for disciplinary action, I have included the recorded hearing area which I hope you find useful, in addition I have provided the GMC numbers for each of the doctors, a doctors public hearing minutes are available to download from their entry on our List of Registered Medical Practitioners, here you will find further detail of the hearing.

You will note some of the hearing areas have been blanked out, this is because the hearing and/or sections of the hearing was held in private, detail of the hearing area and the minutes relating to this private hearing is exempt from disclosure, the exemption we believe applies is:

Section 40(2) by virtue of Section 40(3)(a)(i) – Personal Information. This relates to information requested which is about a third party, and the disclosure of which would be in breach of the Principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). In this instance we consider that the disclosure of this type of information would breach the First Principle, which requires that the processing of data is fair and lawful. We consider that the conditions in Schedule 3 of the DPA, relating to the processing of sensitive personal data, are not met and that, therefore, the release of the information you=have requested, would be unlawful.

In addition please note that ‘Not Recorded’ on the attached table indicates where a field is blank on our computer system.

I hope the attached information is useful.

You can appeal against the refusal aspect of my decision to Julian Graves, Information Access Manager. If you would like to do so, please set out why you think the decision is incorrect in an email and send it to xxxxxxx@xxx-xx.xxx

You can also appeal to the Information Commissioner, the regulator of the FOIA– we can provide the contact details if you need them.

Kind regards

Louise Gormley
Information Access Officer
Registration Directorate

Direct Line: 0161 923 6311
Email: xxxxxxxx@xxx-xx.xxx
Website: www.gmc-uk.org
Address: Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW

Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the sender of this email, this communication may contain privileged or confidential information which is exempt from disclosure under UK law. This email and its attachments may not be used or disclosed except for the purpose for which it has been sent.

If you are not the addressee or have received this email in error, please do not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in reliance on it or any attachments. Instead, please email the sender and then immediately delete it.

General Medical Council

3 Hardman Street, Manchester, M3 3AW

Regents Place, 350 Euston Road, London, NW1 3JN

The Tun, 4 Jacksons Entry, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AE

Regus House, Falcon Drive, Cardiff Bay, CF10 4RU

9th Floor, Bedford House, 16-22 Bedford Street, Belfast, BT2 7FD

The GMC is a charity registered in England and Wales (1089278) and Scotland (SC037750)

Helen - WhatDoTheyKnow Service Manager