This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely published by Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust. It is a description of the information about our tPCT which we make publicly available. We shall review the Scheme at regular intervals and monitor how it is operating.

It is important to us that this Scheme meets your needs and we have designed it to be a route map so that you can find information about Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust easily. Under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the PCT has a legal duty to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme for the publication of tPCT information. The purpose of the Act is to promote greater openness by public authorities (of which Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust is one).

The Freedom of Information Act does not change the right of patients to the protection of their patient confidentiality in accordance with Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention, the Data Protection Act and at common law. Maintaining the legal right to patient confidentiality continues to be an important commitment on our part. To help with this, we have appointed someone who is called a Caldicott Guardian, and who has responsibility to ensure the protection of patient confidentiality throughout the tPCT in accordance with your legal rights.

·        The Freedom of Information Act recognises that as a member of the public, you have the right to know how public services such as the NHS are organised and run, how much they cost and how you can make complaints if you need to. You have the right to know which services are being provided, the targets that are being set, the standards of services that are expected and the results achieved.

·        From January 1st 2005, it will also oblige Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust to respond to requests about the information which it holds and is recorded in any form and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exemptions which the tPCT has to take into account before deciding what information can be released. The Publication Scheme will help you to find all the information which the tPCT publishes.

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 contact

Feedback

Any questions, comments or complaints about this Scheme should be sent in writing to

Chief Executive

or

Publication Scheme Co-ordinator / Information Governance Manager for the tPCT at:-

Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust

Jubilee House

Bloxwich Lane

Walsall

West Midlands

WS2 7JL

Tel 01922 619388.

If you have a complaint about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how the Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust has dealt with your request for information from the Scheme, please write to:

The Complaints Manager

To Access the Publication Scheme, please click on the link HERE.