FOI 2026/1586

Please provide the following information for each of the financial years 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24 (or the most recent years held):

1. The total expenditure by the Integrated Care Board on healthcare services commissioned specifically for asylum seekers and/or people in the asylum system.
2. Where available, a breakdown of this expenditure by service type (for example: primary care, mental health, community health services, secondary care).
3. The names of any NHS Trusts, GP practices, or third-party providers with whom the ICB held contracts or service level agreements relating specifically to the provision of healthcare services for asylum seekers during this period, together with the total annual value of each contract.

If the ICB does not record a single aggregated figure for “asylum seeker healthcare”, please provide any estimated, paitial, or proxy figures that are held (for example, expenditure associated with commissioned migrant health or asylum-specific services).

1 & 2) . The information requested is presented in the table below:

Please note, the table above excludes the cost of specific services procured from NHS Foundation Trusts. This is because the services are procured as part of a block contract, and an estimate of the costs specifically associated with services for asylum seekers cannot be estimated.

3. NHS GM holds the information requested. However, to release the names of providers with contracts or service level agreements relating specifically to the provision of healthcare services of asylum seekers, would be likely to attract attention from individuals or groups who are opposed to the provision of health care for asylum seekers or the asylum process in general. Therefore, this is considered exempt from disclosure by virtue of Section 38(1)(a)(b) of the FOI Act 2000.

Section 38 states that:

(1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under

this Act would, or would be likely to-

(a) endanger the physical or mental health of any individual, or

(b) endanger the safety of any individual.

These exemptions are subject to the public interest test.

Factors favouring disclosure

There is an inherent public interest in ensuring that there is openness and transparency in the spending of public money. Transparency is likely to increase confidence in procurement processes and the purchasing decisions made by NHS GM. It also enables the public to understand whether NHS GM is getting value for money from its purchasing decisions.

Factors favouring non-disclosure

Immigration and those seeking asylum has elicited strong views from some members of the public, and some asylum seekers have been, and continue to be, targeted for abuse and intimidation. The threat of reprisals, and harassment against those providing services to asylum seekers, as well as to asylum seekers themselves is very real and can include physical violence.

To release the names of the organisations providing care to asylum seekers within the Greater Manchester area would in turn disclose the location of the service to the wider public. This could attract protests at the premises in question and there is a real and non-negligible risk of danger to the physical and or mental health of the staff and professionals who work within those services, as well as those of the asylum seekers accessing care.

Balancing Test

After considering the arguments outlined above, we have decided that, on balance, the public interest is better served in withholding this information under section 38 1(a) (b). This is because NHS GM consider releasing the requested information would or would be likely to endanger the physical or mental health or safety of individuals and the degree of endangerment is significant enough to engage the exemption.