COVID-19 nMABs Access and Policy National Expert Group - Evusheld

Louise Bicknell made this Freedom of Information request to NHS England This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was partially successful.

Dear NHS England,

COVID-19 nMABs Access and Policy National Expert Group - Evusheld

Please provide the:
1. Dates of all meetings of this Group from 1 October 2021 onwards including future scheduled meetings;
2. Details of the membership of this Group from 1 October 2021 onwards, detailing who has left/been replaced by whom, their roles and functions; and
3. Copies of all agenda items, papers submitted and minutes of meetings which relate to Evusheld.

For the avoidance of doubt references to Evusheld are to a brand name of a combination of tixagevimab and cilgavimab, AZD7442 or any other name that this Group or the NHS/DHSC uses wither jointly or severally for these compounds

Yours faithfully,

Louise Bicknell

CONTACTUS, England (NHS ENGLAND – X24), NHS England

**THIS IS AN AUTOMATED RESPONSE - YOUR EMAIL WILL BE RESPONDED TO BY A MEMBER OF
THE TEAM ALSO​​** 

    

Thank you for your email.    

   

We are currently receiving an extremely high volume of enquiries.  

    

You may find the following information helpful.   

    

How can the Customer Contact Centre help me?   

 

We’re here to support patients and their representatives with enquiries,
concerns or complaints about primary care.  Primary care includes local
healthcare services such as GPs, dentists, opticians and pharmacies.   

   

We can also help with enquiries, concerns, or complaints about healthcare
in prison, military healthcare and some specialised services that support
people with a range of rare and complex conditions.    

   

You may be able to find the answer you are looking for in our Frequently
Asked Questions:   

   

[1]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/ho...

   

You can find out how to feedback or make a complaint about an NHS service
here:   

   

[2]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/co...

 

 

Covid-19 enquiries 

 

For information about coronavirus (COVID-19), including information about
the COVID-19 vaccine, go to the [3]NHS website. You can also find guidance
and support on the [4]GOV.UK website   

  

If you are contacting us about new COVID-19 treatments, more information
is available on the [5]NHS website.  

 

  

Does the NHS England Customer Contact Centre provide medical advice?   

No. Our advisors are not clinically trained and are unable to provide
medical advice.    

   

For help from a GP, visit your GP surgery’s website, use an [6]online
service to contact your GP, or call the surgery.   

   

For urgent medical help, use the [7]NHS 111 online service, or call 111 if
you are unable to get help online. For life-threatening emergencies, call
999 for an ambulance.  

 

If you need help for a mental health crisis or emergency, you can get
24-hour support and advice.  [8]Find out where to get urgent help for
mental health 

   

There is more information about getting medical help on the [9]NHS
website.   

  

   

What if I have an enquiry or complaint about hospital care, NHS 111 or
out-of-hours GP services?   

   

If your enquiry or complaint is about secondary care, this includes
hospitals, NHS 111, mental health services, out-of-hours services and
community services such as district nursing, you will need to contact the
organisation that provided the service.    

   

All hospitals have a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):   

   

[10]https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questio....
   

   

Alternatively, you can contact your local Clinical Commissioning Group
(CCG). You can find their contact details on the NHS website:   

   

[11]https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Clinic...

 

Where can I find further information about NHS England and NHS
Improvement?

 

You can find information about our work on our
website: [12]https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/    

How do you use my information?

 

NHS England’s privacy notice explains how we use, share and store your
personal information. You can find this on our
website: [13]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/pr...

 

Thank you for your email.

   

NHS England Customer Contact Centre   

 

show quoted sections

FOICRM (NHS ENGLAND - X24), NHS England

Dear Louise Bicknell, 

NHS England has assessed your communication as a request under the Freedom
of Information (FOI) Act 2000. As such, please be assured that your
request is being dealt with under the terms of the FOI Act and will be
answered within twenty working days.

For further information regarding the FOI Act, please refer to the
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website. For further information
regarding NHS England and the information it publishes please visit our
website here.

If you have any queries about this request or wish to contact us again,
please email [1][NHS England request email] and the message will be
forwarded appropriately. Please remember to quote the above reference
number in any future communications.

Please do not reply to this email. This message has been sent from a
central mailbox. To communicate with NHS England regarding Freedom of
Information (FOI) requests, enquiries or complaints we ask these are sent
directly to NHS England’s customer contact centre. This is to ensure all
communications are progressed correctly. Their postal address, telephone
number and email details are as follows:- PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT;
0300 3 11 22 33, [2][NHS England request email].

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information
Communications Team
Strategy Directorate

NHS England
PO Box 16738
REDDITCH
B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 22 33
Email: [3][NHS England request email] 

show quoted sections

Louise Bicknell left an annotation ()

Referred to the Information Commissioner for failure to respond on 8/11/22

FOICRM (NHS ENGLAND - X24), NHS England

Dear Louise Bicknell,

We are writing with regard to your Freedom of Information (FOI) request
dated 10 October 2022.

Please accept our apologies for the delay in responding to your request.
NHS England is not in a position to respond to your request at this time.
We are still in the process of assessing your request and will provide you
with a full response as soon as possible.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Please be aware that
you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can be contacted at:

The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Email: [1][email address]
Website: [2]www.ico.gov.uk

Please do not reply to this email. This message has been sent from a
central mailbox. To communicate with NHS England regarding Freedom of
Information (FOI) requests, enquiries or complaints we ask these are sent
directly to NHS England’s customer contact centre. This is to ensure all
communications are progressed correctly. Their postal address, telephone
number and email details are as follows: PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT;
0300 3 11 22 33, [3][NHS England request email].

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information
Corporate Communications Team
Strategy Directorate

NHS England
PO Box 16738
REDDITCH
B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 22 33
Email: [4][NHS England request email]

‘Health and high quality care for all, now and for future generations’

show quoted sections

Louise Bicknell left an annotation ()

Referred to the ICO on 9/11/22
Given until 27/11 to respond

Louise Bicknell left an annotation ()

28/12/22
Sent to ICO for failure to respond to their response request

FOICRM (NHS ENGLAND - X24), NHS England

8 Attachments

Dear Louise Bicknell,  
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated 10 October
2022. Please accept our apologies for the delay in responding to your
request.

Your exact request was:

“COVID-19 nMABs Access and Policy National Expert Group - Evusheld

Please provide the:
1. Dates of all meetings of this Group from 1 October 2021 onwards
including future scheduled meetings;
2. Details of the membership of this Group from 1 October 2021 onwards,
detailing who has left/been replaced by whom, their roles and functions;
and
3. Copies of all agenda items, papers submitted and minutes of meetings
which relate to Evusheld.

For the avoidance of doubt references to Evusheld are to a brand name of a
combination of tixagevimab and cilgavimab, AZD7442 or any other name that
this Group or the NHS/DHSC uses wither jointly or severally for these
compounds”

NHS England holds information in relation to your request.

Please find attached the meeting papers, including Agendas and Minutes
(with attendance) for the meetings of the Expert Working Group (EWG)
convened to consider Evusheld. These meetings took place on 26 April 2022
and 19 May 2022. These were the only meetings of that group, and no future
meetings are currently planned.
 
Please note that as the files are too large to be sent in one email they
will be sent in two.

Section 40 (Personal information)

Please note that NHS England considers certain information to be exempt
under section 40 of the FOI Act.

Section 40(2) states that requested information is exempt from disclosure
if the first or the second condition at section 40(3A)(a) of the FOI Act
is satisfied. This is on the grounds that it amounts to personal data and
the first condition under section 40(3A)(a) is satisfied, namely that
disclosure would amount to a breach of the first data protection principle
(personal data should be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent
manner) as the individuals concerned would have a reasonable expectation
that these items of personal information would not be disclosed into the
public domain.

We consider that the disclosure of this information could breach an
individual’s confidentiality, as there is a risk that individuals may be
identified if this data is put together with other information that is, or
may become, available on that individual.

In this instance, the name and contact details of all staff members at or
below Agenda for Change Band 9 have been withheld, as have job titles in
instances where the release of that information could be used to identify
individuals who have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Similarly, we do
not release personal details of any individuals who do not work for NHS
England.

Section 41 (Information provided in confidence)

As part of the papers for the meeting on 26 April 2022 the Department for
Health and Social care (DHSC) provided the EWG, in confidence, with a
slide pack titled “Summary of indicative cost effectiveness of Evusheld”
(“the slide pack”).

We are withholding the slide pack in full under section 41(1) of the FOI
Act.

Section 41(1) provides that information is exempt if:
 
it was obtained by the public authority from any other person (including
another public authority), and
the disclosure of the information to the public (otherwise than under this
Act) by the public authority holding it would constitute a breach of
confidence actionable by that or any other person.

The test in section 41(1)(a) is met. The slide pack was created by DHSC to
include data provided by Astra Zeneca (AZ) under a signed non disclosure
agreement (NDA) and was provided to NHS England for consideration by the
EWG under the terms of that NDA.

The test in section 41(1)(b) is met if it is showed that disclosure would
amount to an actionable breach of confidence. This means:
 
the information must have the necessary quality of confidence about it;
the information must have been imparted in circumstances giving rise to an
obligation of confidence.
disclosure must amount to an unauthorised use of the information to the
detriment of the confider.

We consider that the withheld information has been obtained by NHS England
and it meets the required threshold under section 41(1)(b) as explained in
detail below.
 
Quality of Confidence

We consider the information has the necessary quality of confidence in
that it is more than trivial and not otherwise accessible.

The information contained within the slide pack has not been previously
published into the public domain and as far as we are aware, this
information has not been shared in any other forum and would not be
accessible outside of the organisations for which sharing was agreed.

The information includes data, throughout, provided by AZ to DHSC relating
to the therapeutic properties of Evusheld including AZ drug trial data,
pharmacodynamic data and pricing information which was provided in
confidence under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to assist in the
formation of recommendations around the potential use of Evusheld as a
prophylactic treatment for COVID 19. As such NHS England considers that
there is a genuine interest in the information provided in the slide pack
remaining confidential.

Obligation of Confidence

The information contained within the slide pack was compiled by DHSC in
conjunction with AZ and contains data provided by AZ, under a NDA, for the
sole purpose of informing DHSC and named partner organisations (including
NHS England) of their drug trial data, pharmacodynamic data and pricing
information to aid with consideration of Evusheld as a potential
pre-exposure prophylactic option for COVID 19. It has been confirmed that
the analysis provided in the slide pack was done at pace and was intended
for internal purposes to inform decisions around the use of Evusheld,
based on work with AZ. Commercially sensitive information from medicine
manufacturers is routinely shared with named public bodies under formally
signed and legally binding non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in order to
allow for this type of internal analysis. On this occasion the NDA was
signed by DHSC with specific provision for disclosure in confidence to NHS
England.

Under pandemic specific arrangements, an EWG is formed to advise the UK
Chief Medical Officers in relation to a specific issue or drug, with its
membership considered accordingly, and will therefore provide specialist
advice in relation to the issue for which it was formed. EWGs, and
therefore NHSE, require a safe space in which to obtain information from
other organisations which will inform the advice process for which they
are convened. The slide pack, containing information provided under the
NDA, was supplied to allow the EWG to carry out its deliberations and make
any recommendations to the CMOs in respect of the potential use of
Evusheld as a prophylactic treatment. Consequently, it would not be
expected that the information would be shared more widely.

As such we consider that there was an explicit and an implicit obligation
of confidence for DHSC (and therefore NHSE) to protect the information
provided by AZ under the NDA and therefore there is a reasonable
expectation that it should not be released.

 
Detriment to the confider

We consider disclosing the slide pack would cause detriment to DHSC, NHS
England and to Astra Zeneca.

The only reason DHSC had access to the information to support the creation
of the slide pack was because it was provided to them under an NDA by AZ.
Release of the information would be likely to inhibit DHSC from being able
to collect relevant sensitive information from 3rd parties to inform its
decision making, as well as that of advisory groups such as the EWG, in
the future as organisations would be unlikely to share information with
DHSC, even under an NDA, if that information were to be released into the
public domain.

DHSC must be able to have a free flow of information between the
organisations it works with, especially in times of crisis such as those
seen during the pandemic, to ensure it can carry out decision making
swiftly and robustly.

DHSC would also suffer detriment on the basis that, through no fault of
its own, it would be in breach of the NDA which it signed with AZ to cover
itself and partner organisations including NHSE, were NHS England to
release the slide pack in response to this request.

We also consider disclosure would cause AZ detriment. The slide pack was
produced by DHSC based on information provided by AZ and contains
commercially sensitive data such as drug trial data, clinical research
information that may not yet be in the public domain, or intelligence on
the progress of medicines going through the regulatory approval process. 
Its disclosure would be likely to cause AZ detriment if disclosed.

Such information is routinely shared by pharmaceutical companies to assist
with decision making and policy formation. It is considered as essential
‘soft data’ which allows groups such as EWGs to obtain a clearer picture
in relation to the drug in question when considering making
recommendations. If, however, this level of information was to be released
into the public domain it could cause detriment to AZ as it would allow
their competitors to understand AZ’s commercial practices and pricing
structures as well as their trial results etc putting AZ at a significant
commercial disadvantage and causing them economic loss.

Companies such as AZ spend significant funds developing drugs and
therefore it would be highly damaging to their interests and commercial
activity if information around the development of a specific drug,
including trial data, pharmacodynamic data and pricing structures were to
be released to the world at large. It is for this reason that such
information was provided by AZ under the NDA due to the detriment that
they would be caused if the information were released. Consequently, AZ
would be able to take action against DHSC if the information were to be
released.

Considering the arguments presented above, we therefore consider
disclosure of the information into the public domain would constitute a
breach of confidence actionable by AZ and also possibly by DHSC.

Section 41 is an absolute exemption; however, the common law duty of
confidence has an inherent public interest test that assumes that
information should be withheld unless the public interest in disclosure
outweighs the public interest in maintaining the duty of confidence. While
there is a public interest in openness and the promotion of accountability
of public authorities in decision making, there is a stronger interest in
maintaining the obligation of confidence as a breach of this confidence
may be actionable by third parties.

In addition, other information relevant to your request and the way in
which the decisions were made by the EWG are being released in response to
the request, including other papers provided to the meeting and Meeting
minutes which were  used alongside the slide pack in the formulation of
advice for the CMO.

In the present circumstances, given the sensitive nature of the
information we hold and the circumstances in which it was obtained, NHS
England does not consider that there is a strong public interest in
disregarding the duty of confidence.

Section 43 (Commercial interests)

Section 43(2) is a prejudice-based exemption which states that information
is exempt if its disclosure under the FOI Act would, or would be likely
to, prejudice the commercial interests of any legal person (including the
public authority holding it).

A commercial interest for this purpose relates to a legal person’s ability
to participate competitively in a commercial activity (i.e., the buying or
selling of goods/services).

The slide pack which is being withheld contains pricing details shared
between AZ and DHSC/NHSE in respect of the potential future use of
Evusheld in the management of COVID 19. Covid-19. It also contains
commercially sensitive data around AZ’s development of the drug. We
consider disclosing these details would prejudice AZ’s commercial
interests as well as those of NHS England.

Astra Zeneca's Commercial interests

Releasing the pricing structure would release information into the public
domain about the confidential discussions  between AZ and DHSC in respect
of the pricing of Evusheld, including any discounts or preferential rates
that are only being made available to the UK. If this information becomes
available to the world at large, through release under FOI, competitors
and rival pharmaceutical companies would have access to information about
AZs financial activity and position which would not normally be available
to them and could be used in their own negotiations to undercut AZ in what
is a highly specialised and competitive market. This would prejudice AZ’s
ability to develop, promote and market the drugs which they develop.

The information could also be used by other global purchasers to drive
their negotiations with AZ as they would have access to details of any
discounted or preferential rates being made available to the NHS. This
would prejudice AZ’s ability to obtain fair market prices for their
products.

NHSE Commercial interests

We also consider disclosure of the information contained within the slide
pack would be likely to cause prejudice to NHS England’s commercial
interests.

If the information relating to pricing structure were to be released
companies would be less likely to provide us with competitive or reduced
pricing arrangements if they considered that the information would be
released into the public domain. NHS England needs to be able to enter
into negotiations with pharmaceutical companies in respect of the pricing
of drugs and in order to obtain best value for public money in an industry
where the NHS spends a significant proportion of the NHS budget. Releasing
the details of those negotiations and deals would be likely to prejudice
NHS England’s commercial interests as we would no longer be able to obtain
the same level of ‘value for money’ within the agreements we reach if
companies are even slightly less willing to negotiate pricing details with
us in the same way due to the possibility of disclosure.  Revealing
information such as a pricing mechanism can also be detrimental to
negotiations on other contracts and procurements as if an organisation
knows how we cost a service, it could exploit this in any future
negotiations.
 
The confidential nature of supplier pricing ensures the NHS can secure
best prices from suppliers through its commercial activities. Companies
will not give the NHS such competitive prices if they believe they will be
released into the public domain. If commercially sensitive and
confidential information, including on discounted/negotiated prices were
to be made available to the world at large it would be likely to result in
the destabilisation or distortion of the entire pharmaceutical market
access and procurement processes in England particularly in respect of
future public procurement and tenders. Therefore, confidentiality is a key
component of these agreements which would be likely to be prejudiced if
the information were to be released into the public domain.

Public interest test

Section 43 is a ‘qualified exemption’ and therefore NHS England must
conduct a public interest test, which assesses whether releasing the
information would be in the public interest despite the prejudice test
being satisfied.

NHS England has considered the following points are in favour of
disclosure:

• Promoting accountability and transparency in the spending of public
money, specifically about activities taking place during the pandemic,
and
• Allowing individuals and organisations to understand decisions
affecting their lives and to debate or challenge them.

NHS England has also considered the following points are in favour of
non-disclosure:
 

• The need to protect the supplier’s commercial interests so that
contracting with the NHS does not cause them prejudice.
• The need to protect NHS England’s ability to obtain best value for
public money in a very high value market. There is a public interest
in allowing NHS England to withhold information where disclosure would
negatively affect its ability to negotiate or to compete in a
commercial environment.
• Releasing the information would undermine the public interest of
gaining access to newer pharmaceutical treatments at cost effective
prices.

NHS England has concluded that the balance of the public interest lies in
the information being withheld for the reasons outlined above.

Copyright: - NHS England operates under the terms of the open government
licence. Please see the NHS England Terms and conditions on the
following link [1]http://www.england.nhs.uk/terms-and-cond...

We hope this information is helpful. However, if you are dissatisfied, you
have the right to ask for an internal review. This should be requested in
writing within two months of the date of this letter. Your correspondence
should be labelled “Internal Review” and should outline your concerns
and/or the area(s) you would like the review to consider. Internal Review
requests should be sent to:

NHS England
PO Box 16738
REDDITCH
B97 9PT

Email: [2][NHS England request email]

Please quote the reference number 2210-1853613 in any future
communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can be contacted at
the following weblink:
 
[3]https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

Please note there is no charge for making an appeal.

Please do not reply to this email. This message has been sent from a
central mailbox. To communicate with NHS England about Freedom of
Information (FOI) requests, enquiries, or complaints we ask these are sent
directly to NHS England’s customer contact centre. This is to ensure all
communications are progressed correctly. Their postal address, telephone
number and email details are as follows: PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT;
0300 3 11 22 33, [4][NHS England request email].

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Team

NHS England
PO Box 16738
REDDITCH
B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 22 33
Email: [5][NHS England request email]
 

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FOI, England (NHS ENGLAND - X24), NHS England

7 Attachments

Dear Louise Bicknell,

Please find attached remaining documents in relation to your request.

 

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Team

NHS England
PO Box 16738
REDDITCH
B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 22 33
Email: [1][NHS England request email]
 

show quoted sections

Leonard (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

Hi Louise
Pages 2 and 3 are heavily redacted? Anyone would think the NHS has something to hide?
In the meantime 212 Intuitions across 40 countries have no record of SARS-COV-2 isolation/purification, anywhere, ever.

https://www.fluoridefreepeel.ca/fois-rev...

Dear NHS England,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of NHS England's handling of my FOI request 'COVID-19 nMABs Access and Policy National Expert Group - Evusheld'.

The following appears to be missing from the documents provided:
1. The agenda for the meeting of 26 April 2022;
2. The accurate attendee list for the meeting of 26 April 2022. In the papers provided for 26 April 2022 there is a redacted list of 25 attendees. In response to an information request to NHS England on 25 January 2023 on the whatdotheyknow site the briefing to the CMO from this meeting was provided to Penelope Crouch. The briefing lists only 20 attendees. Please confirm the accurate attendee list and detail why there is this discrepancy?
3. The agenda for the meeting of 19 May 2022 appears to have been edited. Agenda items 4 and 6 are missing - please provide these details;
4. The minutes for the meeting of 19 May 2022 appear to have been edited. Items 6, 7 and 8 are missing - please provide these details; and
5. In the minutes for the meeting of 19 May 2022 NHS England have redacted the initials of the actioned who is to make the CMO briefing. Please explain why. This person must presumably be of Change Band 9 or above?

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...

Yours faithfully,

Louise Bicknell

CONTACTUS, England (NHS ENGLAND – X24), NHS England

**THIS IS AN AUTOMATED RESPONSE - YOUR EMAIL WILL BE RESPONDED TO BY A MEMBER OF
THE TEAM ALSO​​** 

    

Thank you for your email.    

   

We are currently receiving an extremely high volume of enquiries.  

    

You may find the following information helpful.   

    

How can the Customer Contact Centre help me?   

 

We’re here to support patients and their representatives with enquiries,
concerns or complaints about primary care.  Primary care includes local
healthcare services such as GPs, dentists, opticians and pharmacies.   

   

We can also help with enquiries, concerns, or complaints about healthcare
in prison, military healthcare and some specialised services that support
people with a range of rare and complex conditions.    

   

You may be able to find the answer you are looking for in our Frequently
Asked Questions:   

   

[1]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/ho...

   

You can find out how to feedback or make a complaint about an NHS service
here:   

   

[2]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/co...

 

 

Covid-19 enquiries 

 

For information about coronavirus (COVID-19), including information about
the COVID-19 vaccine, go to the [3]NHS website. You can also find guidance
and support on the [4]GOV.UK website   

  

If you are contacting us about new COVID-19 treatments, more information
is available on the [5]NHS website.  

 

  

Does the NHS England Customer Contact Centre provide medical advice?   

No. Our advisors are not clinically trained and are unable to provide
medical advice.    

   

For help from a GP, visit your GP surgery’s website, use an [6]online
service to contact your GP, or call the surgery.   

   

For urgent medical help, use the [7]NHS 111 online service, or call 111 if
you are unable to get help online. For life-threatening emergencies, call
999 for an ambulance.  

 

If you need help for a mental health crisis or emergency, you can get
24-hour support and advice.  [8]Find out where to get urgent help for
mental health 

   

There is more information about getting medical help on the [9]NHS
website.   

  

   

What if I have an enquiry or complaint about hospital care, NHS 111 or
out-of-hours GP services?   

   

If your enquiry or complaint is about secondary care, this includes
hospitals, NHS 111, mental health services, out-of-hours services and
community services such as district nursing, you will need to contact the
organisation that provided the service.    

   

All hospitals have a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):   

   

[10]https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questio....
   

   

Alternatively, you can contact your local Clinical Commissioning Group
(CCG). You can find their contact details on the NHS website:   

   

[11]https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Clinic...

 

Where can I find further information about NHS England and NHS
Improvement?

 

You can find information about our work on our
website: [12]https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/    

How do you use my information?

 

NHS England’s privacy notice explains how we use, share and store your
personal information. You can find this on our
website: [13]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/pr...

 

Thank you for your email.

   

NHS England Customer Contact Centre   

 

show quoted sections

Louise Bicknell left an annotation ()

ICO required a response. This was received on 8 February. As detailed above parts were missing. Requested internal review on 11 February 2023

Leonard (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

Whats is it about Louise? You know 212 institutions across 40 countries dont have 1 single isolate sample of covid 19 taken form a human being!

FOICRM (NHS ENGLAND - X24), NHS England

Dear Louise Bicknell,
We refer to your email of 12 February 2023 in which you raised further
queries in respect of information provided to you by NHS England under
reference number FOI-2210-1853613.
 
Your follow up queries

Your queries were as follows;

“1. The following appears to be missing from the documents provided: The
agenda for the meeting of 26 April 2022;

2. The accurate attendee list for the meeting of 26 April 2022. In the
papers provided for 26 April 2022 there is a redacted list of 25
attendees. In the briefing to the CMO from this meeting the briefing lists
only 20 attendees. Please confirm the accurate attendee list and detail
why there is this discrepancy?

3. The agenda for the meeting of 19 May 2022 appears to have been edited.
Agenda items 4 and 6 are missing - please provide these details;

4. The minutes for the meeting of 19 May 2022 appear to have been edited.
Items 6, 7 and 8 are missing - please provide these details;

5. In the minutes for the meeting of 19 May 2022 NHS England have redacted
the initials of the actioned who is to make the CMO briefing. Please
explain why. This person must presumably be of Change Band 9 or above?

We have responded to each of your queries in turn below.
 
1. The following appears to be missing from the documents provided: The
agenda for the meeting of 26 April 2022;
NHS England is not aware of any formal agenda for the meeting on 26 April
2022. The Clinical Policy team, which holds the information relevant to
your request, has confirmed, following relevant searches, that they have
no record of an Agenda for that meeting.

2. The accurate attendee list for the meeting of 26 April 2022. In the
papers provided for 26 April 2022 there is a redacted list of 25
attendees. In the briefing to the CMO from this meeting the briefing lists
only 20 attendees. Please confirm the accurate attendee list and detail
why there is this discrepancy?

NHS England can confirm that the discrepancy is that the attendees at the
meeting include support staff. As these members of staff were not clinical
members of the EWG they were not included on the list that contributed to
the advice in the CMO Briefing.

3. The agenda for the meeting of 19 May 2022 appears to have been edited.
Agenda items 4 and 6 are missing - please provide these details;
and
4. The minutes for the meeting of 19 May 2022 appear to have been edited.
Items 6, 7 and 8 are missing - please provide these details;

NHS England can confirm that the mis-numbering on the Agenda and Meeting
Minutes for the 19 May 2022 meeting is a clerical error in the numbering
and no items have been removed or redacted. The information provided
correctly reflects the recorded information which NHS England holds.

5. In the minutes for the meeting of 19 May 2022 NHS England have redacted
the initials of the actioned who is to make the CMO briefing. Please
explain why. This person must presumably be of Change Band 9 or above?

NHS England can confirm that the support staff who attended the meeting
took the action to draft the CMO Briefing as well as the minutes for
approval by the Chair; therefore, the initials have been deleted as they
are below Band 9.

We hope that this is helpful in explaining the position in relation to
your queries.

Copyright

NHS England operates under the terms of the Open Government Licence (OGL).
Terms and conditions can be found on the following link:

[1]http://www.england.nhs.uk/terms-and-cond...

Review rights

As indicated in the original response, if you consider that your request
for information has not been properly handled or if you are otherwise
dissatisfied with the outcome of your request, you may seek an internal
review within NHS England of the issue or the decision. A senior member of
NHS England’s staff, who has not previously been involved with your
request, will undertake that review.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of any internal review, you may
complain to the Information Commissioner for a decision on whether your
request for information has been dealt with in accordance with the FOI
Act.

A request for an internal review should be submitted in writing to
[2][NHS England request email]

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information
NHS England

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 [3][SH1]Is this correct?

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