Campaign group slams FOI refusals over hospital surgery cuts

Save Our Acute Services (SOAS) raised concerns about Mike Nesbitt's department’s increasingly ''aggressive'' approach towards FOI requests.

They claim that two of their researchers recently had their FOIs declined due to being deemed "vexatious" because of the "volume of repeated and substantially identical requests" for information.

The campaign denies these claims.

An unrelated source recently informed SOAS of their independent FOI rejection, which asked about the legality of the 2022 decision to remove emergency general surgery from South West Acute Hospital.

The campaign said the department's refusal extended beyond just the SOAS researchers, stating that all requests for information regarding the Transformation (now Reform) agenda, associated projects, and the withdrawal of emergency general surgery at the hospital were deemed vexatious.

SOAS said this decision amounts to a blanket refusal to answer any FOIs related to these issues.

SOAS argues this contradicts the commitment in the draft Programme for Government that reform and transformation of public services "will take place openly and transparently".

Donal O’Cofaigh, a spokesperson for SOAS, challenged Mr Nesbitt, saying: "How can Mike Nesbitt stand over his officials issuing an edict amounting to a blanket ban on answering FOIs?

"This is a matter of vital concern to our community.

"Do they consider the population of Fermanagh to be vexatious?"

"We are simply asking for answers about the truth of how and why emergency surgery has been taken away and the impact that is having.

"This is a blatant and transparent attempt to shut down public accountability.

"It makes a mockery of the words in the draft Programme for Government which says that reform and transformation will advance ‘openly and transparently’.

"SOAS is actively challenging this anti-democratic development.

"We call on anyone who shares an interest in public accountability to support our efforts."