Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

The complainant has requested from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust (the “Trust”) information about aspects of its mental health treatment services. The Trust refused to provide the requested information citing section 14(1) of the FOIA, that the request was vexatious and that responding to it would be a grossly oppressive burden. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Trust was not entitled to rely on section 14(1) to refuse the request. The Commissioner requires the Trust to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation.

• Issue a fresh response to the request which does not rely on section 14(1) of the FOIA.