Wick man accuses NHS Highland of seeking to 'play fast and loose' over Covid numbers
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The Wick man who is challenging NHS Highland over Covid-19 cases in Caithness has accused the health board of seeking to "play fast and loose" with data protection rules.
Keith Banks was speaking after receiving updated statistics from NHS Highland following his second Freedom of Information request on the subject. He says the authority's latest reply is "not sufficiently transparent" and he is again asking for a review.
Mr Banks made his initial request on August 23 as he wanted to know the precise numbers of people in Caithness who had tested positive since the start of the pandemic and also how many in the county had died as a result of coronavirus.
Freedom of Information legislation gives members of the public the right to ask to see recorded information held by public authorities.
The response from NHS Highland's Freedom of Information team, dated October 2, said fewer than 15 positive cases of Covid-19 with a Caithness postcode could be identified between March 1 and August 23.
It also said fewer than 10 deaths mentioning Covid-19 on the death certificate could be identified in Caithness over the same period.
The response added that, due to the low numbers of patients involved, no further specific information could be given. It said the information being sought by Mr Banks constituted personal data and its disclosure would contravene data protection principles.
He described the response from NHS Highland as "patronising" and "unsatisfactory" and asked for a review.
Mr Banks lodged a further Freedom of Information request with NHS Highland on October 8, asking for the precise number of cases diagnosed in Caithness, together with the number of deaths attributed to Covid-19 in the county, between August 24 and October 7.
In its response, dated October 15, NHS Highland said there had been 17 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Caithness during that timescale, and no deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
Mr Banks says he is requesting a review of this response as NHS Highland failed to give a precise breakdown of confirmed cases in the three Caithness Community Partnership areas of Caithness South, Caithness North-East and Caithness West.
"I naturally welcome the advice that there were no deaths attributed to Covid-19 in Caithness between August 24 and October 7," Mr Banks said. "I also note they've given the specific number of cases that were diagnosed in this response.
"Nevertheless this is not sufficiently transparent. They've advised that there have been 17 cases diagnosed in Caithness between those dates. Regrettably, however, they have declined to provide a breakdown of those figures.
"Exactly how many were in each of the three Caithness Community Partnership areas?
"Once again I contend if NHS Highland had chosen to be honest with the public, and furnish the precise numbers for each of the three areas, then the information would be more meaningful and reassuring to the public."
Instead, he claimed, the health board was "attempting to play fast and loose" with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018, covering data protection and privacy in the European Union.
Dr Tim Allison, director of public health for NHS Highland, said: "We can understand why there may be concern amongst local communities about the possibility of Covid-19 being in the area. However, we are not commenting on the presence of individual community cases.
"Numbers on confirmed cases of Covid-19 are released by the Scottish Government and these are broken down to local authority area. There is also further information on areas both at local authority and at a smaller locality level available via the Public Health Scotland dashboard [ it can be viewed here ].
"We know that positive cases and rumours of positive cases can cause local anxiety in the community. Please be reassured that where positive cases are identified our Health Protection Team undertake follow-up, including contact tracing, with the case and issue appropriate advice and guidance to the relevant individuals and to organisations.
"There is evidence of increasing transmission of Covid-19 across Scotland. Covid-19 is still here and it is important that everyone takes responsibility and follows the national guidance to keep them and others safe.
"Please follow the five rules that are highlighted in the FACTS campaign:
- Face coverings in enclosed spaces
- Avoid crowded places indoors or outdoors
- Clean your hands regularly and remember to clean hard surfaces that you might be touching
- Two-metre physical distancing remains in place
- Self-isolate and book a test if you have any of the symptoms of Covid-19 – a cough, a temperature, or a loss of, or change in, your sense of taste or smell
"Everyone in Highland, Argyll and Bute has a role to play to keep the number of positive cases as low as possible. Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus should be tested. You can book a test for yourself, someone you care for, or a child in your care.
"To be tested, you or your household member should be displaying symptoms such as new, continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste. More information can be found on the NHS Inform website.
