To: Karen Lorenz
DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
e-mail
: freedom-of-informa
tion-
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx
Our Ref: FOI
206
10 February 2016
Dear Ms Lorenz,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request which we received on 18 January 2016.
You asked:
How many ESA assessment appointments are cancelled by Maximus?
Do Maximus have any targets contained in their contract for waiting
times?
Do Maximus have any targets contained in their contract for the
amount of times they can cancel an appointment?
In response:
Q1 Due to the broad nature of your question we estimate that the cost of complying with your
request would exceed the appropriate limit of £600. The appropriate limit has been specified in
regulations and for central Government it is set at £600. This represents the estimated cost of
one person spending 3½ working days in determining whether the Department holds the
information, and locating, retrieving and extracting the information. Under section 12 of the
Freedom of Information Act the Department is not obliged to comply with your request therefore
it cannot be answered. However, under section 16 of the FOIA we are obliged to assist you in
providing options to narrow your request, by reforming or refocusing it, so that we may be able
answer it. It may therefore help if you narrow the area of the UK, the date range of your request
or the specific reasons for cancellations etc. The DWP will then be happy to consider your
request afresh. However, we should advise that the DWP cannot guarantee that any revised
request will be able to be answered.
Q2 In answer to your question, the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments do have
targets contained within their contract for waiting times.
Q3 In answer to your final question the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments do not
have targets contained within their contract for the amount of times they cancel an appointment.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact the email address above quoting your
reference number.
Yours sincerely
DWP Central FoI Team
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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailin
g freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any
review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter. Please remember to quote the
reference number above in any future communications.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information
Commissioner’s Office for a decision. General y the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
www.ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745