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Over the last few months I have submitted three FOI requests to DHSC to enquire about availability of medicines from 1/1/21. The first FOI was rejected for being too broad in scope. For the second, I was directed to Govt website and info in public domain ... 1/8
Today I had response to the third. Cynical me suspects I'm being fobbed off again. I thought my 3rd FOI request was specific enough: 'Please supply most recent Govt assessment of the UK’s resilience and readiness for the end of the transition period .... 2/8
... re the continued supply of sodium valproate (epilepsy medication) from 1 Jan 2021.' The response was: 'To comply with your request as it is currently framed would exceed the cost limit as set out in Section 12(1) of the FOIA...' 3/8
'...Section 12(1) states that a public authority can refuse a request if complying with it would exceed the appropriate limit of £600 (which represents 24 staff hours)...' Further: 'Locating and extracting this information would involve searches in a very large volume ...' 4/8
'... of correspondence with the hundreds of suppliers that together form our assurance piece, which we have calculated would exceed the Section 12 limit.' Outside scope of FOI, the response gives reassurances that the DHSC's priority is to ensure access to medicines and ... 5/8
... gives link to recent letter to suppliers of medicines/devices: 6/8 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-to-medicines-and-medical-products-suppliers-17-november-2020/letter-to-medicines-and-medical-product-suppliers-17-november-2020
I can’t believe Govt hasn’t already got a (probably world-beating) recent report, analysis or assessment of our medicine supply resilience after transition end. And if they haven’t got one, why not? 7/8
My FOI request may be considered if I can reframe my question with a (limited) timeframe. Does anyone have any suggestions as to wording, to maximise chances of getting a meaningful response? TIA 8/8
