Office of Public Sector Information

Posted by: Pauline Smith

Public Sector Information Holder: NHS Information Centre

Information Asset: Headcount Information for NHS PCTs

The problem

I would like headcount information (numbers of staff) for primary care trusts.

My ideal solution

This information should be published by the NHS Information Centre in ways that enable its onward re-use, under simple licensing conditions. Why should I have to apply for a licence to re-use this information?

What I would do

Compare population figures with PCT headcount and NHS performance statistics.

Posted by: William Heath

Public Sector Information Holder: Office of Public Sector Information

Information Asset: Efficiency & Fairness white paper and future white papers

The problem

This is a minor irritation not a big issue. But the (c) Crown copyright notice on recent Cabinet Office Excellence and fairness white paper reads:

"The text in this document may be reproduced free of charge in any format or media without requiring specific permission. This is subject to the material not being used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context."

This sounds like a tax on dissent. It casts government in a bad light because it's hard to see how it would be enforced or damages assessed.

My ideal solution

Wouldn't
It
Be
Better
If
(Wibbi)
there were simply a crown copyright or creative commons notice, and people were allowed to quote this publicly paid-for material for any purpose - critical, satirical, polemic or just plain old discussing policy which is surely what a white paper is intended for.

What I would do

Exactly the same as I do now, except I wouldnt gripe about it.

Also we would all lose that nagging feeling that
a) we might face sanctions for quoting extracts and being critical and
b) government is still being paranoid and unreasonable.