FOI-03198

Thank you for your request for information about the following:

##Request 
 
You asked us: 
 
_‘Confirmation of the qualifications of the medical assessors involved. 
The qualifications and professional registration of the medical assessors involved. 
The clinical basis upon which they deemed themselves competent to override or disregard specialist consultant evidence.’_
 
##Our response 
 
__Question 1 - Confirmation of the qualifications of the medical assessors involved.__
and
__Question 2 - The qualifications and professional registration of the medical assessors involved.__
and
__Question 3 - The clinical basis upon which they deemed themselves competent to override or disregard specialist consultant evidence__ 
 
The NHSBSA does not hold information on the medical assessors' qualifications or expertise. This is because their medical qualifications and experience are the responsibility of the third-party medical assessment supplier.  
  
I hope, however, that the following information provides reassurance on this point:  
  
All claims are assessed by the supplier with a consistent approach.  
  
Each case is considered on its own merits, by an experienced medical assessor.  
  
The contract with our supplier does not require them to tell us details of their qualifications or their experience.  
  
The contract requires that all assessments carried out are undertaken by suitably qualified and experienced Registered Medical Practitioners. This includes being registered on the UK General Medical Council register, with a licence to practise and meet or exceed the following requirements:  
<ul> 
<li>they are a Registered Medical Practitioner with at least five years’ post graduate experience; and  
<li>they have experience of the performance of medical and/ or disability assessment, addressing questions of causation and impact in the context of legislative or policy requirements to assist the decision maker.</li></ul>  
 
Medical assessors use resources to support their assessment. A list of resources is available online at: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/vdps-claim-process 
  
All relevant information is considered to make a complete and fair assessment. The medical assessor thoroughly considers: 
<ul>
<li>information given on the claim form 
<li>any further evidence submitted 
<li>any pre-existing conditions that are not caused by the vaccine 
<li>medical records (if required) 
<li>clinical research 
<li>epidemiological evidence 
<li>the current consensus of expert medical opinion </li>
</ul>
Cases are determined on a case-by-case basis using facts from the individual case. For example, medical records directly from healthcare providers involved in a claimant’s care. Medical assessors write a detailed outcome report for each claim which explains the evidence available at the time of the medical assessment and how it was considered.  

##Data Queries 
 
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.

#Reusing the data and copyright 
 
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 2025” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence: 
 
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: VDPS, Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme
Organization: Freedom of Information Disclosure Log