Transfer of FHS services to Shared Business Services

The request was successful.

Dear NHS South West,

Please provide me with the following information:

(a) whether any members or employees of NHS South West have been involved in the consideration of a proposal for the Family Health Service functions of PCTs in the South West to be transferred to NHS Shared Business Services and, if so, who they were and what their involvement has been

(b) copies of all correspondence (whether by letter or email) between NHS South West and South West PCTs regarding that proposal, and notes of any meetings (not limited to meetings of the Project Steering Group, but any other meetings too) at which the proposal has been discussed

Yours faithfully,

Paul Jones

Cramp Jonathan (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

Mr Jones,

Thank you for your email of 21 September 2011.

In compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, a response will be sent to you within 20 working days.

With regards,

Jonathan Cramp
FOI Manager
NHS South West

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Cramp Jonathan (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

Mr Jones,

 

I refer to your Freedom of Information request of 21 September 2011.

 

From our preliminary assessment we consider that your request for
information is wide ranging and may exceed the costs limit under Section
12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  Therefore we would ask you to
narrow down the request so that we can provide relevant information which
we hold.

 

Please provide us with more details, including a time period, of the
nature of the information you are seeking in order that we can best assist
you.

 

We are unable to proceed further until we receive this clarification from
you.

 

With regards,

 

Jonathan Cramp
FOI Manager

 

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South
West Strategic Health Authorities.

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Dear NHS South West

I do not believe that my request is especially wide ranging. I have asked for information about a specific topic - the proposed transfer of FHS services to NHS Shared Business Services - and I would expect that it would not be difficult for the Authority to identify which members of staff have been involved with that topic. I note from a paper presented to NHS Gloucestershire's Board that Chief Executives, Directors of Finance and Primary Care Leads have been involved in discussions regarding this topic, so perhaps you should start with them. If you wish, I will limit part (a) of my request to the names and job titles of any staff who have played any significant role in any involvement that the Authority may have had with the proposal.

Part (b) of my request should not then be difficult to satisfy. I suggest that you ask the staff you have identified as a result of part (a) to provide you with their files regarding this topic.

I note that the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs' Code of Practice on the discharge of public authorities' functions under Part I of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 states, in paragraph 8, "Public authorities are entitled to ask for more detail, if needed, to enable them to identify and locate the information sought. Authorities should, as far as reasonably practicable, provide assistance to the applicant to enable him or her to describe more clearly the information requested" and goes on, in paragraph 10: "Appropriate assistance in this instance might include: providing an outline of the different kinds of information which might meet the terms of the request; providing access to detailed catalogues and indexes, where these are available, to help the applicant ascertain the nature and extent of the information held by the authority; providing a general response to the request setting out options for further information which could be provided on request."

Is there any advice or assistance of this sort that you can provide to me to enable me to be more specific in my request?

Yours sincerely,

Paul Jones

Dear NHS South West

You also asked me to suggest a time period, which I forgot to do in my previous email. I would suggest that the 18 months prior to my request might be an appropriate period to consider.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Jones

Cramp Jonathan (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

10 Attachments

Mr Jones,

 

I refer to your Freedom of Information request of 21 September 2011 and
further clarification of 08 October 2011.  In compliance with the Freedom
of Information Act 2000, the South West Strategic Health Authority is able
to respond to your request as follows.

Primary Care Trusts in the South West are looking at how they can improve
the efficiency of back office functions to release more funds for
frontline health services.  The South West Strategic Health Authority is
facilitating regional discussions regarding the proposal to transfer
Family Health Services administration to NHS Shared Business Services, but
all decisions will be made locally by Primary Care Trust Boards. 

 

Facilitating the programme has been led by the former South West Strategic
Health Authority Director of Finance and Performance, Bill Shields.  We
have attached correspondence and documents from his office to Primary Care
Trusts and notes of meetings at which the proposal has been discussed. 
Please note that we have not provided the names of staff under Director
level and have redacted them under Section 40(2) (personal information) of
the Act.

 

We have also redacted the names of any staff who have not played any
significant role in any involvement that the Authority may have had with
the proposal in line with your clarification of 08 October 2011.

   

Please also see below a link to the NHS Shared Business Services website
which you may find helpful.

 

[1]http://www.sbs.nhs.uk/

 

I hope that your request has been satisfactorily answered.

 

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request a review or make a complaint by writing to the
Chief Executive of NHS South of England, South West House, Blackbrook Park
Avenue, Taunton, Somerset TA1 2PX.  It will then be considered by a
Director who will respond in writing.      

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

With regards,

Jonathan Cramp
FOI Manager

NHS South of England

 

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South
West Strategic Health Authorities.

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joe left an annotation ()

Thank you Mr Jones for these requests. There is huge mystery surrounding the whole SBS issue and this sort of documenation helps in trying to put the numerous missing bits of this puzzle into place, although there are still many pieces missing.

Dear Mr Cramp

I wish to complain about NHS South West's response, dated 19 October 2011, to my FOI request regarding the transfer of FHS services to Shared Business Services.

My complaint is that I have reason to believe that you did not disclose to me all the information which fell within the remit of my request, or cite an exemption under the FOI Act for witholding the information that was not disclosed.

NHS Wiltshire, in a response to an FOI request I made to them, have provided me with minutes (partially redacted) of two meetings regarding Shared Business Services which were attended by NHS South West officers:
* South West Family Health Services - Project Steering Group held on 18th February 2011 at NHS South West's HQ, attended by Steven Keith, David May, Trudi Mann and John Bewick - see http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/86...
* South West FHS Project Steering Group held on 09.03.2011, attended by Steven Keith, David May and Trudi Mann - see http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/86...

I believe that these minutes, which I imagine the officers named as attending would have been sent copies of, should have been disclosed in your original response to my request. I also believe that the fact that the officers named were involved in the discussions should have been disclosed - they were clearly playing a significant role, otherwise they would not have been present at these meetings. (And I do not believe that the names of staff at the level of Associate Director should be withheld under section 40.)

Please investigate why this information was not disclosed, and please confirm whether any other information should have been disclosed but was not.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Jones

Cramp Jonathan (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

Thank you for your email.

 

I am out of the office until 18 January 2012. 

 

Please contact the communications team on 01823 361363 if you have an
urgent enquiry.

If you have a Freedom of Information request please email
[NHS South West request email] which is being monitored in my absence.  

Cramp Jonathan (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

Mr Jones,

 

Thank you for your e-mail of 17 January 2012 asking us to review our
response to your Freedom of Information request.

  

An internal review will now take place and we will contact you as soon as
possible to inform you of the outcome.

 

We will aim to complete the review in 20 working days from the date of
your request for review (15 February 2012) as set out in the Information
Commissioner’s guidance.

 

With regards,

 

Jonathan Cramp
FOI Manager

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South
West Strategic Health Authorities.

 

 

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joe left an annotation ()

NHS Devon give unison solicitors 5 days notice and intend to sign SBS contract on Monday 6th February.

Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Jones,

 

Further to your email of 17 January 2012 to Mr Jonathan Cramp in which you
complain about the handling of your FOI request, please find attached the
outcome of an internal review that has been undertaken on your complaint
and original request.

 

Regards

 

Yvonne Gascoigne

PA to Andrew Millward

Director of Private Offices and Communications

 

 

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

 

Email:  [1][email address]

Tel:      01823 361360

Fax:     01823 361141

 

NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South
West Strategic Health Authorities.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]

Paul Jones left an annotation ()

I made a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office about NHS South West's handling of this request, and a decision notice has now been issued - see http://www.ico.gov.uk/~/media/documents/...

"2. After investigating the complaint the Commissioner’s decision is that the Authority holds further relevant information within the scope of the request. He also finds that the Authority failed to provide advice and assistance under section 16 of the FOIA.

3. The Commissioner requires the Authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation:
* Confirm or deny whether it holds information that would fall under part (b) of the request, and disclose the requested information, or issue a valid refusal notice compliant with section 17 of the FOIA, and
* provide the complainant with advice and assistance to enable him to make a new request."

Paul Jones left an annotation ()

The Commissioner's decision notice was dated 11 September 2012, and NHS South West was required to take the steps specified in the notice within 35 calendar dates of that date, ie by 16 October 2012.

As at 17 October 2012, I have not had any contact from NHS South West ...

Paul Jones left an annotation ()

As I have still not had any contact from NHS South West, I have requested that the Information Commissioner's Office look into the Authority's failure to comply with the Decision Notice.

For the attention of Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, Chief Executive, South West Strategic Health Authority

Dear Sir Ian

On 11 September 2012 the Information Commissioner issued a Decision Notice to NHS South West, reference FS50440573, regarding a Freedom of Information request that I had made to NHS South West in September 2011 (see http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/tr...). The Decision Notice required NHS South West to take certain steps within 35 days of the Notice being issued:

"3. The Commissioner requires the Authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation:
* Confirm or deny whether it holds information that would fall under part (b) of the request, and disclose the requested information, or issue a valid refusal notice compliant with section 17 of the FOIA, and
* provide the complainant with advice and assistance to enable him to make a new request.

4. The Authority must take these steps within 35 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the FOIA and may be dealt with as a contempt of court."

More than 50 days have now elapsed since that Decision Notice was issued and I have not received any communication from NHS South West.

Please can you explain your organisation's failure to comply with the Information Commissioner's Decision Notice.

Yours sincerely

Paul Jones

Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Jones,

 

Please find attached letter of response from Andrew Millward.

 

Regards.

 

Yvonne

PA to Andrew Millward

Director of Private Offices and Communications

 

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

 

Email: [1][email address]

Tel:      01823 361360

Fax:     01823 361141

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

joe left an annotation ()

Interesting to point out the amount of staff sickness since SBS took over in Devon has been catastrophic.

Dear Mr Millward

Please provide the information electronically to this email address. It is fine for it to be supplied in PDF files, over the course of several emails if that is necessary due to restrictions on attachment sizes.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Jones

Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

Dear Mr Jones,

Thank you for your response and I acknowledge your request.

Regards.

Yvonne Gascoigne
PA to Andrew Millward
Director of Private Offices and Communications

NHS South of England
South West House
Blackbrook Park Avenue
Taunton
Somerset
TA1 2PX

Email: [email address]
Tel:      01823 361360
Fax:     01823 361141

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Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

2 Attachments

Please find enclosed documents released under the Freedom of Information
request Act.

 

Regards

 

Andrew Millward

Director of Private Offices and Communications

 

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

 

Email: [1][email address]

Tel:      01823 361361

Fax:     01823 361141

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

1 Attachment

 

 

Andrew Millward

Director of Private Offices and Communications

 

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

 

Email: [1][email address]

Tel:      01823 361361

Fax:     01823 361141

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

1 Attachment

 

 

Andrew Millward

Director of Private Offices and Communications

 

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

 

Email: [1][email address]

Tel:      01823 361360

Fax:     01823 361141

 

From: Woodcock Mark (NHS South West)
Sent: 12 November 2012 15:44
To: Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West)
Subject: FOI 3

 

 

 

Mark

 

 

Mark Woodcock

Head of Engagement and Stakeholder Relations

South West Strategic Health Authority

01823 361378

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

1 Attachment

 

 

Andrew Millward

Director of Private Offices and Communications

 

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

 

Email: [1][email address]

Tel:      01823 361360

Fax:     01823 361141

 

From: Woodcock Mark (NHS South West)
Sent: 12 November 2012 15:44
To: Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West)
Subject: FOI 4

 

 

 

Mark

 

 

Mark Woodcock

Head of Engagement and Stakeholder Relations

South West Strategic Health Authority

01823 361378

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West), South West Strategic Health Authority

1 Attachment

 

 

Andrew Millward

Director of Private Offices and Communications

 

NHS South of England

South West House

Blackbrook Park Avenue

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 2PX

 

Email:1[1][email address]

Tel:      01823 361360

Fax:     01823 361141

 

From: Woodcock Mark (NHS South West)
Sent: 12 November 2012 15:44
To: Gascoigne Yvonne (NHS South West)
Subject: FOI 5

 

 

 

Mark

 

 

Mark Woodcock

Head of Engagement and Stakeholder Relations

South West Strategic Health Authority

01823 361378

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]