Visits to the Strathmartine Centre: FOI release

Information requested

A copy of all reports, letters, emails and other documentation created in respect of the visits to the Strathmartine Centre, this year, by the representatives including those forwarded or shared with NHS Tayside.

Response

At Annex A I attach a copy of most of the information you requested. Where the information you requested was published online, I have included links to the publications.

Exempt Information

An exemption under section 29(1)(a) of FOISA (formulation or development of government policy) applies to some of the information requested because it relates to the development of Scottish Government Policy to improve mental health services within Tayside following the publication of David Strang’s Report, Trust and Respect (an independent inquiry into mental health services in Tayside). This work is being progressed by the Independent Oversight and Assurance Group and reports directly to Ministers.

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 high quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of policies and decisions. This means that Ministers and officials need to be able to consider all available options and to debate those rigorously, to fully understand their possible implications. Their candour in doing so will be affected by their assessment of whether the discussions on the Tayside Oversight and Assurance Group will be disclosed in the near future, when it may undermine or constrain the Government’s view on that policy while it is still under discussion and development. The Tayside Oversight and Assurance Group regularly publish progress reports which can be found at:

Independent Oversight and Assurance Group on Tayside's Mental Health Services - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

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, ie 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.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202200319570 - Information released

File type

18 page PDF

File size

721.1 kB