Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November to Question 88799 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, for how many of the 755 claims which had been awaiting the provision of medical records for at least one month at 8 November 2022 records had not been provided by 9 January 2023; and how many subject access requests to healthcare providers in respect of such records have been made.

Of the 755 claims which were awaiting the provision of medical records for at least one month as of 8 November, 377 were awaiting the provision of medical records by 9 January 2023. NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) are working with all affected claimants to receive consent to allow Subject Access Requests (SARs) to be made. 5 SARs have been made so far, following receipt of consent, from the 377 claims awaiting medical records.

Since the end of November 2022, to expedite this process, consent to request SARs has been included in the initial Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme claims process from all new claimants. Going forward, if healthcare providers do not engage with NHSBSA within 28 days of issuing a request for medical records, NHSBSA will automatically submit an SAR on a claimant’s behalf.