Publish date: 6 March 2025
NHS Informatics Merseyside’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Team, part of the Information Governance (IG) Service, has been named Team of the Year at the prestigious eCase FOI Awards, held in London on Wednesday 5 March 2025.
The award recognises the team’s exceptional work in handling Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, for both Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Informatics Merseyside, with efficiency, professionalism, and dedication to transparency.
The team - Anne Massam, Hannah Smyth and Gio Cerisola - works tirelessly to process an increasing number of requests while maintaining an outstanding 98% compliance rate. They handle an average of 158 requests per quarter, often requiring detailed responses to complex requests from multiple service areas and systems.
Pictured (from left to right): Gio Cerisola, Anne Massam and Hannah Smyth
Their proactive approach has driven improvements including the development of a network of Information Providers (IPs) to streamline information gathering, the creation of an FOI webpage to improve accessibility, and plans for a Disclosure Log to enhance public transparency.
The award was accepted in London on behalf of the FOI Team by Geoff Springer and Andy Ivers from the IG Service.
Reflecting on the award, Leanne Harrison, Deputy Head of Information Governance (Secondary Care) said:
“This award is a fantastic recognition of the consistent hard work, commitment, and professionalism of our FOI Team and the challenges they have overcome.
“They consistently go above and beyond to ensure the highest standards of transparency and responsiveness, and I am so proud that their contributions have been recognised in achieving this national award. A special thanks to our Information Providers, Approvers, and the wider Information Governance Team for supporting the FOI process daily.”
The eCase FOI Awards celebrate excellence in Freedom of Information handling across the UK, recognising teams that demonstrate best practice in openness and accountability.
Congratulations to the FOI Team on this well-earned achievement!