Request

I would like to request the following information:

1. The total number of claims received from individuals reporting they have been diagnosed Lichen planus.
2. Of these claims, how many specifically allege that their diagnosis of Lichen planus is a consequence of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?
3. If possible, please provide this information broken down by year from the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout to the present and vaccine type

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 18 September 2024.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.

Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested.

Fewer than five

Please be aware that I have decided not to release full details where the total number of individuals falls below five. 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

All information is as of 20 September 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 figures provided relate to COVID-19 vaccines.

Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data.

Question 1 and 2

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.

Eight medical assessment reports contain the search term lichen planus.

Of these medical assessment reports, all eight are in relation to a COVID-19 vaccine.

Question 3

Please be advised that I am unable to provide a breakdown of the eight medical assessment reports that contain the search term lichen planus by year from 2021 to 2024. This is because a breakdown by year would disclose figures fewer than five.

Data Queries

Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2024” Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.