ICO Decision Notice: NHS Trust Failed to Respond to FOI Request

ICO Decision Notices

Filed March 19th, 2026

Detected March 24th, 2026

Summary

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has upheld a Freedom of Information (FOI) request against North East London NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust failed to respond to the request within the statutory 20 working days. The ICO has ordered the Trust to provide a response within 30 calendar days.

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What changed

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued a decision notice against North East London NHS Foundation Trust for failing to respond to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request within the mandated 20 working days. The decision upholds the complainant's request and requires the Trust to provide a substantive response within 30 calendar days, fulfilling its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

This decision serves as a reminder to public authorities of their statutory duties regarding FOI requests. Compliance officers within public sector organizations should ensure that internal processes are robust enough to meet the 20-working-day response deadline. Failure to comply may result in formal enforcement action by the ICO, including specific requirements to respond by a set deadline.

What to do next

Respond to the complainant's FOI request by April 18, 2026
Review internal FOI request handling procedures to ensure compliance with statutory deadlines

Source document (simplified)

North East London NHS Foundation Trust

Date 19 March 2026
Sector Health
Decision(s) FOI 10: Upheld The public authority has failed to respond to this request within 20 working days, as specified under FOIA. The Commissioner requires it to provide the complainant with a response to this request within 30 calendar days in accordance with its obligations under FOIA.