Freedom of Information Act
King’s College Health Centre Publication Scheme
Introduction
This Publication Scheme is based on the model publication scheme for general
practices produced by the NHS Freedom of Information (FOI) project board and the
British Medical Association.
It is a description of the information about our General Practitioners and Practice,
which we make publically available, as required by the Freedom of Information Act
2000. It will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness.
Your rights to information
 The Freedom of information Act recognises that members of the public
have the right to know how public services are organised and run, how
much they cost and how decisions are made
 In addition to accessing the information identified in the Publication
Scheme you are entitled to request information about the Centre under
the NHS Openness Code 1995.
 From January 1st 2005 the FOI Act obliges the Centre to respond to
requests about information that it holds, and is recorded in any format and
creates a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to
some exemptions which have to be taken into consideration before
deciding what information it can release
 Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your
clinical records or any other personal information held about you and you
can request this by writing to the Centre Manager Denise Johnson
 Environmental information regulations enable similar access to
environmental information as under the Freedom on Information Act 2000
How much does it cost?
Some information can be downloaded free from our website. Otherwise copying,
printing, postage and other disbursements will be charged at cost unless it costs
more than £450 to retrieve and collate the information. In this instance the cost is £25
per hour per staff member. The Centre will advise the applicant on costs prior to
providing the information and the fee should be paid prior to information being given
and within 3 months of the original application.
How do we make information available?
Information may be downloaded from our practice web site otherwise it is available in
hard copy from the Centre Manager. Links to information available from the website
are listed in the classes sections below. All requests must be made in writing to the
Centre Manager. Requests should state the name of the applicant, give an address
for correspondence and describe the information requested.
Denise Johnson
Nurse Partner and Centre Manager
King’s College Health Centre
3rd Floor Macadam Building
Surrey Street
London WC2R 2LS
Feedback
If you have any comments about the operation of this Publication Scheme or how we
have dealt with your request for information please write to the Centre Manager
(details above)
Classes of Information
Information at the Centre is held, retained and destroyed in accordance with the NHS
guidelines. Our commitment to publish information excludes any information that can
be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or
Freedom of Information Act 2000. Where individual Classes are subject to
exemptions, the main reasons are, for exampled, the protection of commercial
interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This applies
to all Classes within the Publication Scheme. The information on this Scheme is
grouped into the following broad class categories:
1. Practice details – Class 1 (Details of the Centre, organisational structure,
key personnel and how we fit into the NHS.
The Centre is an NHS practice and provides services for students and staff of
King’s College London University. We provide services in accordance with a
Personal Medical Services contract held with NHS Westminster/INWL.
The Health Centre is a member of the Central London Healthcare GP
Commissioning Group a not for profit federation of local NHS GP practices.
Full information on our personnel can be found on The Team page of our
website.
Contact details can be found on our Home page and opening hours under our
Appointments page
2. What we spend and how we spend it (Financial information relating to
projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and
financial audit).
Requests for this information, in reference to total practice NHS funding,
should be made in writing to the Centre Manager.
3. What our Priorities are and how we are doing (Strategies and plans,
performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews)
The practice undertakes an annual report which can be obtained on request
in writing to the Centre Manager.
4. How we make decisions
(Decision making processes and records of decisions)
The Centre holds regular staff meetings, clinical, admin and partnership
meetings and holds minutes of these meetings.
Information should be requested in writing from the Centre Manager.
5. Our policies and procedures
(Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering of services)
Information on some of these can be downloaded from our website as below,
others can be obtained by written request to the Centre Manager.
These include but are not restricted to the following:
 Policies and procedures about the employment of staff
 Internal instructions to staff and policies relating to the delivery of
services
 Equality and diversity policy
 Health and safety policy
 Complaints procedures
 Records management policies
 Data protection policies
 Policies and procedures for handling requests for information
 Patients’ charter
6. Lists and Registers
The Centre holds details of all Health professionals within its
employment or subject to contract. Any release of this information
would need to be compliant with confidentiality legislation.
The practice operates a numbers of clinical registers as part of the
provision of NHS services. These will contain clinical information
which means they generally cannot be shared.
Applications for information on any lists and registers should be made
in writing to the Centre Manager.
7. The services we offer
 Services provided under contract to the NHS – information on our
website and any extra information on this by written request to the
Centre Manager.
 Charges for services – information can be found on the website
 Information leaflets can be found on our website. Also practice
leaflets, international leaflets and other information leaflets on services
available at reception.
 Out of hours arrangements can be found on our website.
Useful references:
Useful Resources
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Web site of the Information Commissioner http://www.ico.gov.uk/
NHS openness Code
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuid
ance/DH_4050490
Freedom of Information Act
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuid
ance/DH_4050490
Data protection Act 1998 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/contents