The Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides people with a right of access to a wide range of information held by public authorities, including the NHS. The purpose is to promote greater openness and accountability.
Here we explain how you can find out more about the Trust, how to access the information we hold about you if you are or have been a patient, and how to make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Just click below on the information you require:
Freedom of Information (FOI) requests
FOI Disclosure Log
Publication scheme
The Trust also has a duty under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) to ensure that patients and staff have access to their own records and have a clear understanding on how their information is being used. Just click below for more information:
Access your own records under the UK GDPR
How we handle your information under the UK GDPR
Publication Scheme
Medway NHS Foundation Trust has adopted the Information Commissioner’s Office model publication scheme. It is a guide to the information that is routinely published by the Trust, and describes the types of information that we make publicly available.
The Publication Scheme contains seven classes of information:
How we fit into the NHS Structure
Medway NHS Foundation Trust became an NHS Foundation Trust on 01 April 2008. This means that there is far greater local ownership and involvement of patients, the public and staff in the plans of the hospital rather than control from the department of health.
As a Foundation Trust we remain part of the NHS and continue to be subject to NHS standards, performance ratings and systems of inspection. We are accountable to NHS England to ensure we comply with the terms of our license.
We also work in partnership with non-NHS organisations including our local councils, community groups, universities, police and prison services.
Organisational Structure
View our organisational structure
List of information relating to key organisations with which the organisation works in partnership
NHS Authorities and Trusts
Department of Health
Kent Community Health
NHS Kent and Medway
Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust
Our Trust is one of a wide range of stakeholders involved in the Medway and Swale Health and Care Partnership (HCP), working with community and mental healthcare providers, councils, commissioning colleagues and Healthwatch.
The Medway and Swale Health and Care Partnership is part of the integrated care system (ICS) in Kent and Medway.
This is where all organisations involved in health and social care work together in a way that benefits patients – not what is easiest for organisations.
You can find more information about this on the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System website.
Meetings with pharmaceutical companies and other medical suppliers
Details of meetings 2023 to 2024
Senior executives and management board / governing body members
Information can be found in our Leadership section.
Location and contact details for all public-facing departments
Our A to Z of services provides details of our departments and the services they offer.
Budgets and variance reports – these are published as part of the Finance Report. Copies of the Finance Reports can be accessed in our Board papers.
Capital programme – these are published as part of the Finance Report. Copies of the Finance Reports can be accessed in our Board papers.
Financial audit reports – these details are captured within the minutes of the Trust’s Integrated Audit Committee. Please contact the publication scheme co-ordinator at Medwayft.foi@nhs.net for information.
Standing financial instructions
Staff and Board members’ allowances and expenses:
Staff pay and grading structures – Board members details can be found in the Trust’s Annual Report. Current NHS pay scales for staff can be found on the NHS Employers website.
Funding (including endowment funds) – details are published as part of the Finance Report. Copies of the Finance Reports can be accessed in our Board papers. If you require any information regarding the finance or governance of endowment funds, please contact the publication scheme co-ordinator at Medwayft.foi@nhs.net
TU Facility Time
Trade Union facility time is when an employee takes time off from their normal role to carry out duties and activities as a trade union representative. We are required to report this information annually and it is published on the government website.
Procurement and tendering procedures – details on how the Trust purchases equipment and supplies can be found in the procurement section. Where appropriate, the Trust will advertise tenders for goods or services which exceed the relevant EU public sector procurement threshold value through the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEC) procedures. The Trust will use this Publication Scheme to publish some background information relating to the tenders sought and awarded by the Trust. Items not included will be those where a commercial issue or issue of confidentiality is involved.
Details of contracts currently being tendered
List and value of contracts awarded and their value – for details of contracts in progress undergoing a formal tender process under the Trust’s Standing Financial Instructions and completed tenders over £25,000 awarded in the past 12 months. Please contact the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator at medwayft.foi@nhs.net
Greater transparency over spending – as part of the Government’s drive for transparency around public spending the Medway NHS Foundation Trust is publishing details of expenditure greater than £25,000. Expenditure includes all individual invoices, grant payments, expense payments or other transactions over £25,000. There may be some occasions where transactions are not published, for example if this information might contravene the law (e.g the Data Protection Act). View the Trust’s transparency data.
Information about our strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, surveys, inspections and reviews are included in this section.
Performance against targets are available in the Integrated Quality and Performance Reports in the Board papers
Healthcare standards – Since April 2005, every NHS Trust’s performance is assessed on an annual basis by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and is awarded an annual health check rating. View our latest report.
Staff Friends and Family Test data
Decision making processes and records of decisions are included in this section.
Board papers – agenda, supporting papers and minutes
Council of Governor meetings – agenda, supporting papers and minutes
Governance Handbook – governance and decision-making arrangements
Corporate information
The Company Secretary is contactable via email at medwayft.trustsecretary@nhs.net or by post at Medway Maritime Hospital, Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY.
An annual members’ meeting is held, usually in September to present the Annual Report. Details of this meeting are published on this website.
The Annual Report typically contains information on target performance, new developments and services, Chair’s and Chief Executive’s addresses, challenges for the forthcoming year, financial statements, membership of the board, major projects update and news items.
Council of Governor meetings held in public take place quarterly and the details of these meetings are published on the Trust’s website. Board of Director meetings held in public take place regularly and details are published on the Trust’s website.
Patient and public involvement and consultation
The principle of patient and public involvement in the NHS is to ensure that the patient is at the centre of everything that the health service does. Medway NHS Foundation Trust is committed to this principle and we are working with our partners to develop an excellent patient experience.
Patient feedback is collected through a variety of mechanisms, including patient surveys (both national and in-house), PALs contacts and patient complaints. Members of the public sit on several committees within the Trust and we work closely with our Healthwatch colleagues and Council of Governors.
Further information on involving patients in healthcare can be found on the Department of Health website.
Foundation Trust membership
The Trust’s membership is a key and substantial element of the patient and public involvement agenda. Find out how you can become a member of our Foundation Trust
Voluntary services
Please see our section on Volunteering at the Trust.
Our policies are intended for staff use; but if you would like to receive a copy of a Trust policy please contact our Integrated Governance Team by emailing medwayft.integratedgovernance@nhs.net
Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to our functions.
Assets register – to obtain a copy please email the publication scheme co-ordinator at Medwayft.foi@nhs.net
Freedom of Information disclosure log
Gifts and hospitality register – please contact our Trust secretary at medwayft.trustsecretary@nhs.net
Information asset register – for information, please email Medwayft.foi@nhs.net
CCTV – CCTV is used at the single site Medway Maritime Hospital for the protection of Patients, Visitors, Staff and Trust Property, by providing a visible deterrent and culture coherent with CCTV operations and by providing recorded images for later analysis with the option of active monitoring. Cameras are located internally and externally in public areas of the hospital, positioned inside and outside the main building, and positioned on the outside only of all others with signs clearly indicating their presence and cameras, where sited, are clearly visible. The system is operated under the terms of its licence from the ICO and this is operation is further overseen by the Trust’s CCTV Security Committee Sub Group. There is a Trust Policy governing all aspects of the CCTV System and Medway Maritime Hospital.
Main contractors / suppliers – for information, please email Medwayft.foi@nhs.net
Scheme of Delegation – See our Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs)
Register of Interests – the latest Trust Board Register of Interests is available in our Board papers.
Please take a look at our A to Z of Services for information.
Freedom of Information (FOI) requests
What is the Freedom of Information Act?
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 1 January 2005, the Freedom of Information Act allowed anyone to request information held by Medway Foundation Trust.
The rights to request and access this information are subject to some exemptions which the Trust will deal in accordance with advice from the Information Commissioners Office.
How do I make a request for information?
Before making a request to the Trust, please take a look at our publication scheme above first. If the information you require cannot be found on our website, please make a written request to:
Information Governance Team
Medway NHS Foundation Trust
Medway Maritime Hospital
Windmill Road
Gillingham
Kent
ME7 5NY
Or email: medwayft.foi@nhs.net
Please note: When sending in your request please make sure you include a valid postal or email address, and include a clear description of the information that is required.
FOI requests are for general information only, and not for requests about individuals. Requests for information about individuals should be made through subject access requests.
Upon receipt of your request, the Freedom of Information team will send you an acknowledgement of your request. The team will deal with your request as promptly as possible and is under legal obligation to provide a response within 20 working days. If we need to ask you for clarification of your request, the 20 working day period does not start until clarification is received.
Generally information is supplied free of charge. At times the Trust may have to charge for FOI requests, for example for hard copies, postage and packing or copying onto media e.g. CD. If a charge is going to be applied to your request, you will be informed in advance so you will have time to consider if you would like to amend or withdraw your request. Confirmation of the payment due will be given before the information is provided and payment may be requested prior to provision of the information. Legally, if the cost of obtaining and sending you the information is more than £450 (this is based on a national cost of 18 hours work at £25 per hour), we do not have to provide you with the information you requested.
If you wish to make a complaint or request a review regarding any of the following:
- a refusal of a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
- dissatisfaction with a response to a request
- non compliance with the Act
Please write to:
Information Governance Manager
Medway Maritime Hospital
Residence 13
Windmill Road
Gillingham
Kent
ME7 5NY
If you are dissatisfied with the result of the re-evaluation, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Information Commissioners Office at the following address:
Information Commissioners Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Call: 0303 123 1113 (local rate)
Call: 01625 547 745 (national rate)
If you would like any further information, please contact our publication scheme co-ordinator on 01634 976788 or by emailing medwayft.foi@nhs.net
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