This guidance gives examples of the kinds of information that we would expect health bodies in Northern Ireland to provide in order to meet their commitments under the model publication scheme. We would expect health bodies to make the information in this definition document available unless:
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they do not hold the information;
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the information is exempt under one of the FOI exemptions or Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) exceptions, or its release is prohibited under another statute;
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the information is archived, out of date or otherwise inaccessible; or,
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it would be impractical or resource-intensive to prepare the material for routine release.
The guidance is not meant to give a definitive list. The legal commitment is to the model publication scheme, and authorities should look to provide as much information as possible on a routine basis.
It is recognised that this document covers a range of organisations who carry out different functions. However, the information they hold will fall under the same headings.
Who we are and what we do
Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts.
We would expect information in this class to be current information only.
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How we fit into the NHS structure
Given the nature of the NHS it is expected that information will be provided that explains how the organisation fits into the local and/or national NHS structure. Both outline and detailed information about the role and responsibilities of the authority should be provided.
Corporate governance information including details of board members and other key personnel. This will also include an explanation of the internal structure of the authority and how the structure relates to roles and responsibilities.
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Lists of and information relating to organisations with which the authority works in partnership
It is expected that this information need be only sufficient for the purposes of identifying the relationship between these bodies and the authority.
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Senior staff and management board members
Identification of, responsibilities of and biographical details ofthose making strategic and operational decisions about the provision of the authority’s services. Any biographical details that are not work related should be published only with consent.
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Location and contact details for all public-facing departments
If possible, named contacts should be given in addition to contact phone numbers and email addresses.
What we spend and how we spend it
Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit.
We would expect as a minimum that financial information for the current and previous financial year should be available. We would expect information to be available not only for the authority as a whole but also, where appropriate, for directorates or departments as cost units.
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Annual statement of accounts
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Budgets and variance reports
In conjunction with annual accounts, financial information in sufficient detail to allow the public to see where money is being spent where it is or has been planned to spend it and the difference between one and the other. Annual timescales should be used, together with shorter periods where practicable, e.g. half yearly, quarterly.
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Financial audit reports
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Standing financial instructions
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Capital programme
Information should be made available on major plans for capital expenditure including any public private partnership contracts.
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Staff and Board members’ allowances and expenses
Details of the allowances and expenses that can be incurred or claimed. It should include the total of the allowances and expenses incurred by or paid to individual senior staff and management board membersby reference to categories. These categories should beproduced in line with the department’s policies, practices and procedures and will be under headings like travel, subsistence and accommodation.
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Staff pay and grading structures
This may be provided as part of the organisational structure and should indicate, for most posts, levels of pay rather than individual salaries.
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Funding (including endowment funds)
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Procurement and tendering procedures
Details of procedures used for the acquisition of goods and services.
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Details of contracts currently being tendered
This will include OJEC adverts and other contracts currently available for public tender.
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List and value of contracts awarded and their value
We do not expect that all information about all contracts however small to be included in this scheme. We would normally expect there to be ready access to information about contracts that are large enough to have required a tendering process in accordance with financial regulations.
What are our priorities and how are we doing
Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews.
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Annual Report
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Annual business plan
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Targets, Aims and Objectives
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Strategic Direction document (5 year plan)
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Performance against targets (KPI)/performance framework
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Clinical governance
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Health
care Commission – Annual check
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Audit reports
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Service User Surveys
How we make decisions
Decision making processes and records of decisions.
We would expect information in this class to be available for at least the current and previous three years.
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Board papers – agenda, supporting papers and minutes
We would expect management board minutes and the minutes of similar meetings where decisions are made about the provision of services, excluding material that is properly considered to be private, to be readily available to the public.
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Patient and public involvement strategy (PPI)
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Public consultations (for example, concerning closures/variations of services).
Details of consultation exercises with access to the consultation papers or information about where the papers can be obtained. The results of consultation exercises.
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Internal communications guidance and criteria used for decision making i.e. process systems and key personnel
Where access to internal instructions, manuals and guidelines for dealing with the business of the authority would assist public understanding of the way decisions are made these should be readily available. We would not expect information that might damage the operation of the authority to be revealed.
Our policies and procedures
Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities.
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Policies and procedures relating to the conduct of business and the provision of services
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Policies and procedures relating to human resources (including Race, Disability, Age and Gender, Equal Opportunities)
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Policies and procedures relating to recruitment and employment
Codes of practice, memoranda of understanding and similar information should be included. A number of policies, for example equality and diversity, and health and safety, will cover both the provision of services and the employment of staff. If vacancies are advertised as part of recruitment policies, details of current vacancies will be readily available. Procedures for handling requests for information should be included.
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Equality Scheme/statement produced in accordance with section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998
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Standing financial procedures
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Standing orders
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Complaints and other customer service policies and procedures
Standards for providing services to the department’s customers, including the complaint procedure. Complaints procedures will include those covering requests for information and operating the publication scheme.
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Data protection / information governance / Caldicott Guardian
This will include information security policies, records retention, destruction and archive policies, data protection (including data sharing) and patient confidentiality policies.
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Estate management
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Charging regimes and policies
Details of any statutory charging regimes should be provided. Charging policies should include charges made for information routinely published and clearly state what costs are to be recovered together with the basis on which they are made and how they are calculated.
List and registers
We expect this to be information contained only in currently maintained lists and registers.
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Any information we are currently legally required to hold in publicly available registers
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List of main contractors / suppliers
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Assets registers and Information Asset Register
We would not expect organisations to publish all details from all asset registers. We would expect some information from capital asset registers to be available.
If the authority has prepared an information asset register for the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005, it should publish the contents.
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Any register of interests kept in the authority
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Register of Gifts and Hospitality provided to Board members and senior personnel
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Disclosure log
Where a disclosure log is produced indicating the information that has been provided in response to requests it should be readily available. Disclosure logs themselves are recommended as good practice.
The services we offer
Information about the services we offer, including leaflets, guidance and newsletters.
In general, this will be an extension of the first class of information, ‘Who we are and what we do’ as it will detail the services that the organisation provides. The starting point would normally be a list or lists of the services that fall within the responsibility of the organisation, linked to details of those services.
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Clinical services provided and/or commissioned
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Non-clinical services
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Services for which the authority is entitled to recover a fee together with those fees
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Patient information leaflets and other booklets and newsletters
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PALS
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Advice and guidance
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Corporate communications & media releases
Version 2
23 October 2008
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