Freedom of Information Request – Ref: 268-2024
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
1. Do you have a section 117 register that is kept up to date – i.e. new patients added when they have section 117 eligibility and patients removed when eligibility ends?
Our response:
Yes – new patients are added to a list. Policy permits discharge of s117 but is not custom and practice within Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.
You asked:
2. Is the register accessible to staff within your Trust via the intranet?
Our response:
No – permissions assigned to specific roles in GHC
You asked:
3. Do you have a timescale set for section 117 reviews? – i.e. 3 months, 6 months, annual review etc
Our response:
No – there is no process or practice in place currently
You asked:
4. Does the register include information about the people on your register that require a section 117 reviews and whether these are in date or overdue?
Our response:
No. Despite a policy supporting process for discharge of s117, there is no review process in place
You asked:
5. Does your Trust have processes in place to monitor overdue reviews and the number of people on the register who are eligible for section 117 aftercare? If so can you provide details of monitoring arrangements i.e. MHA Operations Committee, reports to teams etc and the frequency of these
Our response:
No. Despite a policy supporting process for discharge of s117, there is no review process in place
You asked:
6. Who is responsible for updating the section 117 register within your Trust – i.e. IT department, Performance team, MHA team
Our response:
MHA team in GHC following receipt of detention papers
You asked:
7. Do you have a single point of access for funding queries i.e. which ICB, which Local Authority is responsible for section 117 funding? If so is this via a legal team, social care team, MHA office?
Our response:
No. By default, queries are sent to social care lead and social care administrators in GHC
You asked:
8. How many patients do you have on your section 117 register?
Our response:
GHC currently report 1483 individuals with s117 eligibility
You asked:
9. What proportion of patients have reviews in date?
Our response:
None. No local process or practice that would support reviews
You asked:
10. What proportion have out of date reviews?
Our response:
None. No local process or practice that would support reviews
You asked:
11. Do you have a system in place i.e. a specific team that will undertake section 117 reviews for patients who have entitlement but are not currently open to services
Our response:
No
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.