Histopathology reporting suppliers and conflicts of interest

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Dear University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust,

1. How many histopathology consultants had a substantive contract with the authority as at 28th February 2022.

2. During the period 1st April 2021 to 28th February 2022, how much did the authority spend, in addition to the salaries of substantive consultants, on the reporting of histopathology cases, within the following categories of spend:
a) Payments for locum histopathologists
b) Additional payments to substantive histopathologists employed by the authority for work in addition to their contracted programmed activities (PAs)
c) Payments to companies who provide a histopathology reporting service

3. During the period 1st April 2021 to 28th February 2022, how much did the authority spend with each of the following suppliers for the reporting of histopathology cases:
a) Unilabs
b) Source Bioscience
c) Backlogs (HCA Laboratories)
d) LD Path
e) Cellular Pathology Services
f) Digital Pathology Partners
g) Pathognomics
h) Synlab
i) The Doctors Laboratory

4. How do the authority manage the potential conflict of interest which arises when substantive histopathology consultants employed by the authority are involved in purchasing reporting services from the above mentioned suppliers, and are also paid by these suppliers to provide reporting services outside their contracted NHS hours. For example, company X suggests to consultant Y, employed by Trust Z, that if consultant Y gives company X a contract to provide reporting services to Trust Z, that company X may employ consultant Y to undertake reporting work through company X for Trusts A, B, C. Please indicate which of the following apply:
a) The Authority doesn’t recognise this as a risk.
b) The authority recognises this as a risk, but doesn’t take steps to manage this risk.
c) The authority recognises this as a risk and requires all substantive consultants to declare any conflicts of interest.
d) The authority recognises this as a risk and requires all substantive consultants to declare any conflicts of interest, and requires these consultants to disclose the source of all income in addition to their NHS salary.
e) The authority recognises this as a risk and requires all substantive consultants to declare any conflicts of interest.
f) The authority recognises this as a risk, and takes other steps to manage this risk – please explain.

Yours faithfully,

Kurt Kudra

FOI (UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF DERBY AND BURTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST), University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

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Kind regards

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
[University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust request email]

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FOI (UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF DERBY AND BURTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST), University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Kudra
Further to your enquiry below, please find the Trust's response attached.
Kind regards

Jane Haywood

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION MANAGER

 

 

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══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Kurt Kudra <[FOI #850693 email]>
Sent: 01 April 2022 13:12
To: FOI (UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF DERBY AND BURTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)
<[University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Histopathology reporting
suppliers and conflicts of interest
 
Dear University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust,

1.      How many histopathology consultants had a substantive contract
with the authority as at 28th February 2022.

2.      During the period 1st April 2021 to 28th February 2022, how much
did the authority spend, in addition to the salaries of substantive
consultants, on the reporting of histopathology cases, within the
following categories of spend:

a)      Payments for locum histopathologists

b)      Additional payments to substantive histopathologists employed by
the authority for work in addition to their contracted programmed
activities (PAs)

c)      Payments to companies who provide a histopathology reporting
service

3.      During the period 1st April 2021 to 28th February 2022, how much
did the authority spend with each of the following suppliers for the
reporting of histopathology cases:

a)      Unilabs

b)      Source Bioscience

c)      Backlogs (HCA Laboratories)

d)      LD Path

e)      Cellular Pathology Services

f)      Digital Pathology Partners

g)      Pathognomics

h)      Synlab

i)      The Doctors Laboratory

4.      How do the authority manage the potential conflict of interest
which arises when substantive histopathology consultants employed by the
authority are involved in purchasing reporting services from the above
mentioned suppliers, and are also paid by these suppliers to provide
reporting services outside their contracted NHS hours.  For example,
company X suggests to consultant Y, employed by Trust Z, that if
consultant Y gives company X a contract to provide reporting services to
Trust Z, that company X may employ consultant Y to undertake reporting
work through company X for Trusts A, B, C.  Please indicate which of the
following apply:

a)      The Authority doesn’t recognise this as a risk.

b)      The authority recognises this as a risk, but doesn’t take steps to
manage this risk.

c)      The authority recognises this as a risk and requires all
substantive consultants to declare any conflicts of interest.

d)      The authority recognises this as a risk and requires all
substantive consultants to declare any conflicts of interest, and requires
these consultants to disclose the source of all income in addition to
their NHS salary.

e)      The authority recognises this as a risk and requires all
substantive consultants to declare any conflicts of interest.

f)      The authority recognises this as a risk, and takes other steps to
manage this risk – please explain.

Yours faithfully,

Kurt Kudra

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