Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

In two requests, the complainant has requested information about referrals to Hertfordshire Children’s Services.   Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (‘the Trust’) has withheld the specific information requested in the first request under section 40(2) (third person personal data).  It released some of the information requested in the second request and said that it is not obliged to fully comply with this request under the provision at section 12 of the FOIA (cost exceeds the appropriate limit). The Commissioner’s decision is as follows: The Trust has correctly applied section 12(1) to two parts of one of the requests as the cost of complying with these parts would exceed the appropriate limit. The Trust has correctly withheld some of the information requested in the remaining request as it is the personal data of third persons and is exempt from disclosure under section 40(2).The Commissioner does not require the Trust to take any steps.