Request

We require and would be grateful if you could please provide us with the following information: Confirmation of how many payments have been made to patients who have had vaccines and complained of: a) Chronic fatigue syndrome b) Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and c) Fatigue

Response

All data as of 14 February 2024. All data relates to claims received by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) and those transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 1 November 2021. All data provided relates to all eligible vaccines. For a list of eligible vaccines, visit www.gov.uk/vaccine-damage-payment

The claimant can tell us what happened after vaccination on the claim form. At the medical assessment stage, the independent medical assessor provides a description of the assessed conditions they have been able to identify from the claimant's medical records. This can sometimes be a mixture of conditions. The condition recorded against each claim may therefore be different to the condition initially stated by the claimant on their original claim form. All data provided relates to the conditions listed by the independent medical assessor in the assessment report.

Question 1

No claimants have been notified they are entitled to a Vaccine Damage Payment because of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Question 2

No claimants have been notified they are entitled to a Vaccine Damage Payment because of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)

Question 3

Please be aware that I have decided not to release this figure. Fewer than five claimants have been notified that they are entitled to a Vaccine Damage Payment because of fatigue. This is because the individuals could be identified, when combined with other information that may be in the public domain or reasonably available. This information falls under the exemption in section 40 subsections 2 and 3 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This is because it would breach the first data protection principle as:  

a. it is not fair to disclose individual’s personal details to the world and is likely to cause damage or distress.
b. these details are not of sufficient interest to the public to warrant an intrusion into the privacy of the individual.  

Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full.   

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/40    

Breach of confidentiality    Please note that the identification of individuals is also a breach of the common law duty of confidence. An individual who has been identified could make a claim against the NHSBSA for the disclosure of the confidential information.      The information requested is therefore being withheld as it falls under the exemption in section 41(1) ‘Information provided in confidence’ of the Freedom of Information Act.      Please click the below web link to see the exemption in full.      www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/41