Information Commissioner's Office

The Practice Group

23 March 2017, Health (Other)

The complainant has requested information about patients with coeliac disease.  The Practice Group refused to comply with the request under section 12(1) of the FOIA as to do so would exceed the appropriate cost limit. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Practice Group was correct to apply section 12(1) to the request.  However, the Commissioner has also decided that the Practice Group breached section 16(1) as it did not offer the complainant appropriate advice and assistance with a view to clarifying and refining his request so that it could be managed within the cost limit. The complainant has confirmed that he needed the information at the time he requested it, and has no use for it at this point.  The Commissioner therefore does not require the Practice Group take any steps.

FOI 12: Not upheld FOI 16: Upheld