FOI-03499

Thank you for your request for information about the following: 

<strong>Request</strong>
 
You asked us: 
 
<i>‘please provide the following information relating to medical panel members involved in Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) tribunal hearings: 
 
How many medical panel members appointed to VDPS tribunal hearings in the last five years have been employed by the NHS or by NHS-affiliated organisations? 
Please provide the job titles or clinical specialisms of these medical panel members (without naming individuals). 
Please provide any conflict of interest policy, guidance or internal documentation held by NHSBSA that addresses:<br> 
appointment of medical panel members,<br>
declarations of interest,<br> 
restrictions on appointing NHS-employed clinicians to panels assessing VDPS cases. 
 
Please confirm whether NHSBSA has ever raised concerns about conflict of interest where a panel member is employed by the NHS, given that NHSBSA administers VDPS payments on behalf of the government.<br> 
Please provide any audits, reviews, or internal assessments regarding panel member independence within VDPS cases. 
 
I am not requesting personal data. 
 
This request is limited to roles, policies, numbers and documented procedures’</i>
 
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 4 January 2026. 
 
We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.  
 
<strong>Our response</strong> 
 
I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the NHS Business Services Authority.  
 
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) appoint the tribunal medical panel member and therefore the information being requested is not held by the NHSBSA. This is the role and responsibility of HMCTS and not the NHSBSA. 
 
The NHSBSA has not raised a conflict of interest in relation to the panel member.  
 
<Strong>Advice and assistance</strong> 
 
You may be able to obtain this information from: 
 
HM Courts & Tribunals Service<br>
Disclosure Team<br> 
Postal Point 5.22, Floor 5<br> 
102 Petty France<br> 
London<br> 
SW1H 9AJ<br> 
United Kingdom 
 
Email: <a href=mailto:data.access@justice.gov.uk >data.access@justice.gov.uk</a>

<strong>Data Queries</strong>

Please contact <a href=mailto:foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk>foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a>  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.

<strong>Reusing the data and copyright</strong>

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact <a href=mailto:communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk>communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk</a>. 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 2026” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence:<br>
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

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.



Tags: NHSBSA corporate, Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, nhsbsa, vdps
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log