I am writing regarding your request for information, which I received on 29 October 2023. In that request, you asked us for the following:

I am requesting the following information please:

1. How many VDPS claims received relate to an Auto Immune Response in general
2. How many VDPS claims received relate to Polymyositis specifically
3. How many VDPS claims have been paid out that relate to an autoimmune response
4. How many VDPS claims have been paid out that relate to Polymyositis specifically
5. How many VDPS claims that relate to an auto immune response in general have been rejected
6. How many VDPS claims that relate to an auto immune response in general have had a request for a mandatory reversal
7. How many VDPS claims that relate to Polymyositis specifically have been rejected
8. How many VDPS claims that relate to Polymyositis specifically have had a request for a mandatory reversal

Response

In order to determine if this information is held, we would need to manually review all claim forms and evidence provided.

As of 27 October 2023, 8,157 total claims have been received by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). This is the number of claims received by the NHS Business Services Authority and those transferred from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 1 November 2021.

Using a conservative estimate of 30 minutes per case (medical evidence can run to thousands of pages), we estimate that to review all 8,157 claims, it would take approx. 4,078.5 hours to determine if we hold the information and to then provide a figure. In addition, the staff carrying out the search would lack the medical expertise to identify an auto immune response.

Therefore, I estimate that the cost of complying with your request would exceed the non-central Government limit of £450. The limit has been specified in The Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 and represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours in determining whether the NHSBSA holds the information, and locating, retrieving and extracting the information. Under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act, the NHSBSA is not obliged to comply with your request and I will not be processing your request further as it currently stands.