FOI/202400423476 · FOI · partially withheld
Correspondence regarding Scottish Government’s National Treatment Centres: FOI release
Information requested
I am looking for all written communication, including associated briefings, to and from Ministers since 1 March 2024 to most recent relating to the Scottish Government’s National Treatment Centres.
Response
I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in the attached documents.
Document number Document title 01 Collated Emails NTC Programme SRO 02 Cab Sec Submission - Waiting Times Proposition Paper - September 2023 03 Cabinet Secretary HSC - Briefing Pack - WT Debate 13 March 04 CS Submission - capital projects in construction- May 2024 05 FM performance Recovery Update - 20 March (002) 06 FMQ Highland June 2024 07 Ministerial Submission - Update on HSC Funding postion April 2024 08 Submission - £100m waiting times funding options March 2024 09 Collated Emails from Deputy Director of Finance 10 2024-25 - Health Infrastructure - Capital Funding - Bilateral meeting - June 2024_2 11 Briefing Note - Audit Scotland report note to FM - Mar 2024 12 Cab Sec briefing for meeting with Miles Briggs on PAEP 13 Cab Sec note for FM - 07 May 2024 14 Cab Sec note for FM - 9 May 2024 15 Options to fund infrastructure - March 24 16 Extract of Territorial Board FMQ briefs 17 Arthritis - ministerial briefing - Versus Arthritis event - Glasgow, 22 March 2024 18 Briefing to Cab Sec - Community Diagnostics Centre - 22 May 2024 19 Cab Sec - Key HSC commitments and status - Apr 2024 20 Cabinet Secretary HSC - Briefing Pack - NHS Shetland Visit - 03.04.2024 21 DGC - Consolidated Accounts 2023-24 - Performance Report to DGs - 1 August 2024 22 Extract of HSC Briefing for Ministers - Final 23 Major Projects - Design - Briefings - IIP Progress Report for 2023-2024 - Lines to be updated - 9 Apr 2024 24 Ministerial Engagement - National Staffside, NHSS Employers and Partnership 25 Ministerial Engagement Briefing - Unite Health Conference - 2 April 2024 26 NHS Overview FMQ - Week Beginning 15 April 27 NHS Overview FMQ Week of 25 March 28 NTCP - Governance - Planned Care - NTC Co-ordination - 16 May 2024 29 Template - 100 days engagement and Ministerial Summer Tours - HSC 30 NHS Recovery Health and Social Care - Mandate Letter - July 31 NTCP - Ministerial Briefing - NTC Fife Visit - March 2024 32 Visit to Ninewells hospital - Cab Sec brief - 25 July 2024 v2 33 Collated Planned Care emails 34 Cab Sec Brief - Orthopaedic Meeting with BOA 23 July 2024 35 Cab Sec Briefing - Waiting Times - March 2024 36 Cabinet Secretary HSC - Briefing Pack - Sight Scotland Engagement 37 Scotland Versus Arthritis briefing - 29 May 2024 38 Visit to Ninewells hospital - Cab Sec brief - 25 July 2024 v2 39 Emails to First Minister 40 ASDHD - Ministerial Statistics Briefing - 06-08-2024 41 ASDHD - Ministerial Statistics Briefing - 2024-05-28 42 CSFLG & CSHSC - Debate - Investing in Scotland's Public Services - Briefing Pack - 13 May 2024 43 FM briefing pack - Priorities for Scotland - 22 May statement 44 NHS Overview FMQ brief 17 May 2024 45 PFG V0.2 30 July for FM 46 Waiting Times FMQ brief 17 May 2024
Exemptions apply under sections s.30 (b)(i) & s.38(1) (b) of FOISA to some of the information you have requested. Further information can be found in Appendix A.
Appendix A REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION
An exemption applies, subject to the public interest test
Section 30(b)(i) – free and frank provision of advice
Exemptions under section 30(b)(i) of FOISA (free and frank provision of advice) applies to some of the information requested. This exemption recognises the need for Ministers to have a private space within which to seek advice and views from officials before reaching the settled public position. Disclosing the content of free and frank briefing material provided by boards relating to capital spending, construction and workforce will substantially inhibit such briefing in the future, particularly because discussions on the issue relate to a commercially sensitive and ongoing matter. This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space within which officials can provide full and frank advice to Ministers as part of the process of exploring and refining the Government’s policy, until the Government as a whole can adopt a policy decision that is sound and likely to be effective. This private thinking space is essential to enable all options to be properly considered, based on the best available advice, so that good policy decisions can be taken. Premature disclosure is likely to undermine the full and frank discussion of issues between Ministers and officials, which in turn will undermine the quality of the policy decision making process, which would not be in the public interest.
An exemption applies
Section 38(1)(b) – applicant has asked for personal data of a third party
An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, i.e. names and contact details of individuals, and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exemption is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.
Detected exemption language
Document number Document title 01 Collated Emails NTC Programme SRO 02 Cab Sec Submission - Waiting Times Proposition Paper - September 2023 03 Cabinet Secretary HSC - Briefing Pack - WT Debate 13 March 04 CS Submission - capital projects in construction- May 2024 05 FM performance Recovery Update - 20 March (002) 06 FMQ Highland June 2024 07 Ministerial Submission - Update on HSC Funding postion April 2024 08 Submission - £100m waiting times funding options March 2024 09 Collated Emails from Deputy Director of Finance 10 2024-25 - Health Infrastructure - Capital Funding - Bilateral meeting - June 2024_2 11 Briefing Note - Audit Scotland report note to FM - Mar 2024 12 Cab Sec briefing for meeting with Miles Briggs on PAEP 13 Cab Sec note for FM - 07 May 2024 14 Cab Sec note for FM - 9 May 2024 15 Options to fund infrastructure - March 24 16 Extract of Territorial Board FMQ briefs 17 Arthritis - ministerial briefing - Versus Arthritis event - Glasgow, 22 March 2024 18 Briefing to Cab Sec - Community Diagnostics Centre - 22 May 2024 19 Cab Sec - Key HSC commitments and status - Apr 2024 20 Cabinet Secretary HSC - Briefing Pack - NHS Shetland Visit - 03.04.2024 21 DGC - Consolidated Accounts 2023-24 - Performance Report to DGs - 1 August 2024 22 Extract of HSC Briefing for Ministers - Final 23 Major Projects - Design - Briefings - IIP Progress Report for 2023-2024 - Lines to be updated - 9 Apr 2024 24 Ministerial Engagement - National Staffside, NHSS Employers and Partnership 25 Ministerial Engagement Briefing - Unite Health Conference - 2 April 2024 26 NHS Overview FMQ - Week Beginning 15 April 27 NHS Overview FMQ Week of 25 March 28 NTCP - Governance - Planned Care - NTC Co-ordination - 16 May 2024 29 Template - 100 days engagement and Ministerial Summer Tours - HSC 30 NHS Recovery Health and Social Care - Mandate Letter - July 31 NTCP - Ministerial Briefing - NTC Fife Visit - March 2024 32 Visit to Ninewells hospital - Cab Sec brief - 25 July 2024 v2 33 Collated Planned Care emails 34 Cab Sec Brief - Orthopaedic Meeting with BOA 23 July 2024 35 Cab Sec Briefing - Waiting Times - March 2024 36 Cabinet Secretary HSC - Briefing Pack - Sight Scotland Engagement 37 Scotland Versus Arthritis briefing - 29 May 2024 38 Visit to Ninewells hospital - Cab Sec brief - 25 July 2024 v2 39 Emails to First Minister 40 ASDHD - Ministerial Statistics Briefing - 06-08-2024 41 ASDHD - Ministerial Statistics Briefing - 2024-05-28 42 CSFLG & CSHSC - Debate - Investing in Scotland's Public Services - Briefing Pack - 13 May 2024 43 FM briefing pack - Priorities for Scotland - 22 May statement 44 NHS Overview FMQ brief 17 May 2024 45 PFG V0.2 30 July for FM 46 Waiting Times FMQ brief 17 May 2024 Exemptions apply under sections s.30 (b)(i) & s.38(1) (b) of FOISA to some of the information you have requested. Appendix A REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION An exemption applies, subject to the public interest test Section 30(b)(i) – free and frank provision of advice Exemptions under section 30(b)(i) of FOISA (free and frank provision of advice) applies to some of the information requested. This exemption recognises the need for Ministers to have a private space within which to seek advice and views from officials before reaching the settled public position. This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.