Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI GHC-10032025-187710
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
I would like to determine the number of NHS Mental Health Trusts that offer Animal Assisted Therapy to their patients. I would also like to know how much is spent by the Mental Health Trusts on Animal Assisted Therapies each year. Finally I would like to know who conducts the animal assisted interventions, is it NHS clinicians or teams brought in specifically to conduct the intervention.
Our response:
The Trust accesses charitable funds on ad-hoc basis for animal visits, particularly at Charlton Lane, but at no cost to NHS as it comes from that funding means.
The Trust also has weekly, voluntary PAT dog visits at Wotton Lawn Hospital.
The current PAT dog owner is a clinician, the visits are also supported by occupational therapists.
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.