NHSSC - Northern Health and Social Services Council

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Northern Health and Social Services Council

Access to Information

We are a transparent and open organisation and we publish a great deal of information about what we do on this website which you can access by using the search facility clearly marked on our home page. However there may be other issues about which you would like further information and in this part of our website we explain how you can get such information.

Please note that the Health & Social Services Councils (HSSCs) are in a state of transition due to re-organisation through the Review of Public Administration. HSSCs are to be replaced with a new organisation called a Patient and Client Council on 1st April 2009 therefore this ‘Guide to information’ will only be valid until 31st March 2009.

Subject Access Requests under the Data Protection Act 1998

If you want to ask us for information which we may hold about you personally then this will be dealt with under the Data Protection Act 1998. This would include information relating to the Council’s support to complainants.

If you wish to make a Subject Access Request you should write to the Senior Administrative Officer of the Council specifying the information you wish to be made available to you.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998 we have 40 working days to provide the information you ask for. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the way in which we deal with your request you may complain in the first instance to the Chief Officer of the Council or the Information Commissioner at 51 Adelaide Street Belfast BT2 8FE.

If you feel we have failed to disclose information without good reason you may apply to a Court for disclosure.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Publication Scheme

In order to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 public sector organisations such as ours have to routinely publish information whenever possible.

The Information Commissioner, who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, has drawn up what is called a Model Publication Scheme for all public sector organisations which we have decided to adopt and formally commit to. Click here for the Model Publication Scheme.

Most of the information we make routinely available can be accessed through our website by using the Guide To Information (click here for Guide to Information (Publication Scheme)) or the search facility.

Such information is continually updated. If you cannot find information through the search engine and we have indicated that the information is routinely available this may be because the information cannot be loaded onto our website. In such circumstances please contact the office at the following address, to request a copy.

NHSSC
Houston’s Mill Site
10A Buckna Road
Broughshane
BT42 4NJ

Freephone: 0800 917 0222

Telephone: 028 2586 3950

Fax: 028 2586 3951

Minicom: 028 2586 3950

E mail:

Accessing information which is not included in the Publication Scheme

As an open and transparent organisation we are committed to routinely publishing as much information as possible; however if you want information which is not on our website or otherwise available through our guide to information you may ask us for it in accordance with further provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and of the Environmental Information Regulations 2005. Requests for such information should be sent to the Chief Officer of the Council.

By law we have to deal with such requests within 20 working days. If you make a request and are not satisfied with the way in which we deal with it you may ask us to review any decision we make. If you wish us to undertake such a review you should write to the Chief Officer.

If you are not satisfied with the reply, you may contact the Council Chairman (the Chair can be contacted at the Council Office).

If you remain dissatisfied at the conclusion of any review you may complain to the Information Commissioner whose address is: 51 Adelaide Street
Belfast BT2 8FE

Fees and Charges

The Freedom of Information Act and the associated Fees Regulations stipulate that we cannot levy a fee for information unless there is a statutory basis for doing so or the amount of time taken to locate the information exceeds 18 hours. However we are allowed to charge for disbursements related to the provision of information and any reformatting requested by the applicant provided we ensure that applicants are aware of any charges which may be made in advance.

No charges will be made for any information accessed via our website or email. Charges will vary according to how the information is made available. For any information which is provided in hard copy and where there is no statutory provision for charges, our rates for photocopying, re-formatting and postage will be as follows:

	Via the Council’s Website – Free of charge, although any charges for Internet Service provider and personal printing costs would have to be met by the individual.
	A single printout is available free of charge by personal application to the Northern Health and Social Services Council.
	Requests for multiple printouts may attract a charge for the retrieval, photocopying, postage etc. (10p per side of A4).
	Leaflets, archived documents and booklets - single copies are free of charge.
	In some cases tape or other mediums, may be charged for.

If you want any further information about the provision of information or have any difficulty accessing information provided on our website please contact the office on: