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Responses > Use of Force Policy

Freedom of Information request Use of Force Policy

Response published: 13 October 2025
MH Services

FOI Request

As part of a scoping review, I have been working through NHS Use of Force policies, including yours, which you have kindly provided in response to a previous FOI request. It is part of the requirements of the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018 to publish the Use of Force policy on every NHS trust website. Here is the relevant section: "Ownership and transparency (Section 3) The policy on use of force must be published on the organisation or trust’s website and in hard copy format, and any other way that the organisation or trust usually makes information available and accessible for patients and service users. The policy should be made available in different formats (such as easy read) as appropriate to the type of service being provided and in line with the duty to make reasonable adjustments. It is good practice to publish all available formats on the organisation or trust’s website." I am requesting that your Use of Force policy, alongside your patient and easy read Use of Force information, is published on your trust website, as per the statutory guidance.

FOI Response

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 045-2025

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.

You asked:

I am requesting that your Use of Force policy, alongside your patient and easy read Use of Force information, is published on your trust website, as per the statutory guidance.

Our response:

Below is the link to the Trusts policies available on our website.  The policy which covers your request is as follows; “Prevention and Management of Risk Incidents (including violent and aggressive behaviours)”.  An easy read version is being created and will be published as soon as it has been completed.

Policies & Procedures > Glos Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust

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.