About us : Freedom of Information request
Overview
Freedom of information, also know as a FOI is where you can request to view information held by us to find out how we’re providing services, and the standards and targets we’re meeting.
We support a culture of honesty and openness, and fully comply with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000.
You can submit an FOI request to view information held by us to find out how we’re providing services, and the standards and targets we’re meeting.
You may be looking for
Media enquiries
If you're a member of the media, please contact our Marketing and Communications Team, who can help you.
Media enquiriesMedical records
The FOI Act does not cover access to your personal data. If you want to see information such as your health records, please see our Medical Records page for further details.
Medical recordsSubmit an FOI request
We hope that you will find what you're looking for on our website, but if not, you can send your Freedom of Information (FOI) request to us by using our online form.
Within your request, make sure that you include your full name and contact details (so we can respond to your request), along with a clear description of the information you're looking for. We'll respond within 20 working days.
Our FOI performance
Our current FOI compliance rating is 91%. For a further breakdown, please see our FOI Compliance report.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) target is 90% of requests to be responded to within the 20-working-day deadline.
FOI Compliance Report
File size: 129KB
Read our FOI reports
Our Disclosure Logs detail the FOI requests we've received and their current status. Our reports are published as PDF files.
Read our Disclosure Log for 2025/26.
2025/26: 1 April to 31 December 2025 FOI
File size: 246KB
See our previous logs and our FOI Publications Scheme to find out how we share and publish information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I request?
You can seek any recorded information that you think we may hold. However, please note that Berkshire Healthcare is a community and mental health trust. We do not operate or provide the same services as an Acute Trust or a GP practice.
If the information is your own personal data, then you should make a subject access request under the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998, and not under the FOI Act.
Who can submit an FOI request?
Anyone worldwide can submit an FOI request.
What information must I include within my request?
The FOI Act requires certain information to be supplied before we can respond to your request:
- Your real name – we do not have to respond to requests submitted under a pseudonym. If you submit a request without including your name, we will ask you to confirm your name before we can begin working on your request.
- Your contact details – for us to respond to your request, we need an address to send our response to. Most requests are sent and responded to over email, however we can send our response by post if required.
- A description of the information you wish to obtain.
- If you have a preference for the format in which you wish to receive the information (for example, you would like the information presented in a spreadsheet). We'll try to meet your preferences, but we can't guarantee that we'll be able to.
How do I submit an FOI request?
FOI requests must be in writing, you can submit your request to us using the following methods:
Using our online form
Post address
Freedom of Information Officer
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
London House
London Road
Bracknell
RG12 2UT
Email contact
Email foi.bht@berkshire.nhs.uk
How should I word my request?
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) provide a helpful guide on what to include within your FOI request.
What happens once I've submitted my request for information?
You'll receive an automated message from our FOI team, confirming that we have received your FOI request.
If we require any clarification or further information from you to enable our team to answer, we will contact you directly.
If we do not require any clarification from you, then the next communication you will receive from our FOI team will be the response to your request.
What can I do if I am unhappy with the reply I receive or the way my request was handled?
You can ask our FOI team for an internal review of your FOI request.
How can I access my medical records or data held about me?
The FOI team does not have access to patient or medical records. Therefore, all requests for your own or somebody else’s medical records must go through the appropriate department.