Proposed service changes

The request was partially successful.

Dear Sir,

I write with regard to proposed service changes and base closures. Please:

(1) Supply copies of all documents relating to the disposal or reuse of the sites that it is proposed to close (Retford, for example).

(2) It has been stated by yourselves that the proposed service changes will result in faster response times. Please provide copies of any feasibility, time and motion, or other studies conducted.

Yours &c,

S Holloway

FOI, East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Ref FOI/12/073

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email dated 28th October 2012 requesting information about proposed service changes within East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Your request is being dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and will be answered within 20 working days.

If you have any queries about this request, do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully,

Janette Kirk

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Dear Sir,

I note that your response to FOI/12/073 is now overdue.

Yours &c.,

S Holloway

Williams Matthew, East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Ref: FOI/12/073

 

23 November 2012

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Thank you for your email dated 28 October 2012 requesting information
about proposed service changes to the way the way the East Midlands
Ambulance Service NHS Trust conducts its operations.

 

1.         Supply copies of all documents relating to the disposal or
reuse of the sites that it is proposed to close (Retford, for example).

 

2.         It has been stated by yourselves that the proposed service
changes will result in faster response times.  Please provide copies of
any feasibility, time and motion, or other studies conducted.

 

I can confirm that the Trust does holds information in relation to both
questions above, however Section 22 of the Freedom of Information Act
(Information Intended for Future Publication) falls into the terms of a
qualified exemption, and is therefore subject to a public interest test. 
At the moment, we can confirm that both documents are still in their draft
stages, but will probably be ready by early 2013.  Having considered the
public interest test, the Trust’s decision is to withhold the information
at this moment in time.  The documents will be made public when produced
alongside the relevant EMAS Trust Board meeting papers.

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review.  Internal review requests should be
submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your
original letter and should be addressed to:

 

Matthew Williams, Records Manager, Information Governance and Compliance,
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Trust Headquarters, 1 Horizon
Place, Mellors Way, Nottingham Business Park, Nottingham NG8 6PY.

 

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 can be contacted at: The
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

 

If you have any queries about this request please do not hesitate to
contact me. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Matthew Williams

 

Matthew Williams

Records Manager 

 

ICT Service Desk: 0845 2206000

Direct Dial: 0115 8845125

[mobile number]

Email: [1][email address]

 

  EMAS
NHS  [2]http://www.emas.nhs.uk
Trust

 

ICT Services mission is to provide a Quality ICT Service, in a cost
effective, innovative and professional manner to all.

 

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Ganesh Sittampalam left an annotation ()

The message above dated 23rd November was sent on that date, but was sent to the wrong email address so it was associated with the wrong request until I manually moved it just now.

Ganesh - WhatDoTheyKnow volunteer

Dear Sir,

I request an internal review of East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust's handling of my FOI request 'Proposed service changes'.

This may be viewed at: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/pr...

In its' response, EMAS has claimed that the information requested fails the public interest test and is subject to a s.22 exemption.

Whilst I will concede that the answer to Question (1) might wait, whether it is appropriate to withold the information requested in Question (2) is disputed.

EMAS is currently running a public consultation with regard to radical service changes. By an unfortunate coincidence, that consultation will close before key information requested in Question (2) becomes available to the public.

Given that EMAS has made sweeping claims regarding improvements in attendance times, it is most certainly in the public interest that the proof of those claims be available for public inspection.

If after review, you still consider that the information should not be released, then you have no option other than to extend the consultation period until such time as it is available.

Yours &c.,

S Holloway

Williams Matthew, East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

12 Attachments

Ref: FOI/12/073

 

3 January 2013

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Further to your request for an internal review (dated 26 November 2012)
regarding the proposed service change, we can confirm that this indeed has
taken place, and was conducted by Maria McGregor – Bailey, Foundation
Trust Project Manager  A copy of this response is now below for your
attention.

 

“Over the past few years, the Trust has under-performed against certain
National standards, which is published annually in a comparative list of
all NHS Ambulance Trusts. This information can be found at
[1]http://www.ic.nhs.uk/searchcatalogue?top...
experience/Patient journey/Ambulance
services&sort=Relevance&size=10&page=1#top.

 

In early 2012 the Trust made the decision to take an evidence based
approach to reviewing the estate and engaged with specialist external
consultants Process Evolution; who have been successfully used on similar
projects for a variety of emergency services across the UK and whom have
used sophisticated modelling software to identify the optimal locations
for crews to be positioned at and this has informed the new proposed
Estates model. Following discussions the Trust commissioned Process
Evolution to conduct a ‘Feasibility Study’. The factors taken into account
included:

 

·         An analysis of actual activity over the last 12 months, i.e. the
number of calls received and responses made.

·         An analysis of planned and actual resource outputs, i.e. when a
vehicle makes a journey to a patient.

·         Modelling optimal theoretical locations from which to respond.

·         An analysis of the potential impacts on staff travel to work.

·         Reviewing the theoretical outputs with operational teams in our
divisions who have local knowledge, experience and expertise.

 

At the Extraordinary Trust Board April 2012, a number of papers were
presented including ‘Achieving Performance’ which highlights the continual
performance pressures,  meeting papers including the ‘appendix 2 – Draft
Estates Strategy’ and minutes (which were approved at the May Trust Board
2012) which capture the discussion and development required.

 

Discussions continued at the July 2012 Trust Board; evidence to support
this includes Board paper regarding ‘being there for patients and the
minutes which capture the discussion.

 

Further documents can be found at
[2]http://www.emas.nhs.uk/get-involved/bein... which
provides a link to both the ‘Being the Best Consultation Document’ and the
separate ‘EMAS Estates Hub and Spoke Optimisation Report’ written by
Process Evolution which highlights the proposed changes that may be made.”

 

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 can be contacted at:  The
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

 

If you have any queries about this request, do not hesitate to contact
me. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Matthew Williams

 

Matthew Williams

Records Manager 

 

ICT Service Desk: 0845 2206000

Direct Dial: 0115 8845125

[mobile number]

Email: [3][email address]

 

  EMAS
NHS  [4]http://www.emas.nhs.uk
Trust

 

ICT Services mission is to provide a Quality ICT Service, in a cost
effective, innovative and professional manner to all.

 

P Save Paper - There is a cost to printing this email – Do you really need
to?

 

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