The Scottish Information Commissioner has closed a probe into NHS Forth Valley's handling of Freedom of Information requests, praising the health board's "significant improvement" in responding to requests on time.
Background of the Intervention
NHS Forth Valley was placed under a Level 3 intervention in October last year after failing to improve its poor record of replying to FOI requests. The intervention followed initial complaints made in November 2023, when the board was found not to have replied to 51 per cent of requests within the statutory 20-day timeframe. The watchdog, David Hamilton, escalated the action after performance failed to improve, and a meeting in March highlighted the lack of progress, granting extra time for improvements.
Significant Turnaround
Any further lack of progress could have led to action at the Court of Session. However, Mr Hamilton's office confirmed on Thursday morning that the Level 3 intervention had been removed. Mr Hamilton said: "My intervention with NHS Forth Valley was escalated to Level 3 following a prolonged period of poor performance. NHS Forth Valley was responding to fewer than 30 per cent of all FOI requests and less than 20 per cent of all FOI reviews within the 20 working day statutory timeframe."
He added: "Through a combination of positive collaboration with my office, investment in resource, heightened prominence of FOI throughout the organisation alongside the hard work and dedication of the NHS Forth Valley’s Information Governance Team, the latest monthly figures show NHS Forth Valley responding to 94 per cent of all requests – and 100 per cent of FOI reviews – on time. This significant improvement not only demonstrates a commitment to statutory compliance, but also a sustainable cultural shift towards a more transparent organisation."
Health Board's Response
NHS Forth Valley chief executive Ross McGuffie welcomed the closure, stating: "We welcome the closure of this intervention, and it reflects the hard work and commitment of staff across the organisation over the last few months to improve our FOI performance."
