To: N Alter
DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
e-mail
: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx
Our Ref: FOI 2880
11 October 2016
Dear Mr Alter,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request which we received on 5th August 2016.
You asked:
‘I refer to your replies to Mark Whitehill (FOI 1646 dated 7 June 2016 and IR241 dated 14 July
2016) regarding travelling time and access to Work Capability Assessments.
In both replies, you state that the journey time to a WCA is calculated from door to door using a
web based journey planner which factors in waiting times, transport changes etc.
Also, in your reply to Angela Johnson (FOI 556 dated 1 March 2016), you say that the journey
time, taking into consideration traffic conditions and public transport availability is determined
using a journey planning website and that the Department continually monitors the delivery of
service and the quality of those services delivered by the Assessment Providers; this includes
the 90 minute journey time.
However, in answer to some queries from me, the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments
has stated in a letter dated 5 July 2016:
“Transport Direct journey planners were appended to some appointment letters under the
contract with the previous provider, Atos Healthcare. They stopped being appended when the
Department of Transport withdrew the software licences. The previous provider asked the DWP
if an alternative journey planner was required and the DWP clarified that it was not. Therefore,
from the 1st October 2014, Atos Healthcare ceased to include any journey planners as the DWP
could not provide a journey planner alternative following the closure of Transport Direct.
“In terms of the current contract with Centre for Health and Disability Assessments, given that
the DWP has not provided a journey planner solution to us as Assessment Providers, I am
advised that the part of the contract which quoted that we would supply “personalised directions
from the Claimant’s home to the consultation location” has been removed in a Contract
Variation.”
If this is correct, the information provided to Mr Whitehill and Ms Johnson would seem to be
inaccurate as the use of a web based journey planner appears to have ceased during 2014.
According to CHDA, Atos Healthcare asked about an alternative journey planner and the DWP
clarified that it was not required.
Please supply any information relating to this agreement between the Department and Atos
Healthcare as well as to the fact that a journey planner solution has not been provided to the
Centre for Health and Disability Assessments and that, as a consequence, they are not obliged
to provide specific (as opposed to generalised) travel information to claimants who are required
to attend a face-to-face consultation.
Please also provide me with information concerning the contract variation referred to by CHDA
in their letter and the date on which this came into effect.
Please also confirm that it is still a contractual requirement that the supplier, in this case CHDA,
must ensure that claimants do not have to travel for more than 90 minutes by public transport for
a face-to-face assessment and that the supplier (CHDA) should ensure that only a small minority
of claimants should have to make a journey of the maximum 90 minutes duration.
If CHDA as the supplier no longer has access to a web based journey planner as they suggest,
please provide any recorded information which states how they should ensure that the journey to
a WCA in either direction does not exceed 90 minutes and that the maximum duration applies
only to a small minority of claimants.
Also, provide any recorded information which describes how the Department monitors the
delivery and quality of services delivered by assessment providers, as stated in your reply to
Angela Johnson, if possible with particular reference to the 90 minute journey time rule.
I would also like to know the identity of the journey planning website referred to in your reply to
Angela Johnson as this could potentially be of great use to members of the public. I am already
aware of various journey planning websites but would like to know which specific website you
had in mind when replying to Ms Johnson.
I also note that, in your reply to Mr Whitehill dated 14 July 2016, you suggest that no information
is held in respect of a responsible person within the Department who would deal with the issue
of referrals to assessment centres which are more than 90 minutes travelling time from a
claimant’s home. Please confirm that you do not hold any information relating to such an officer
within the DWP. If this is so, then please let me know who is responsible for monitoring the
delivery and quality of services delivered by assessment providers, in accordance with the
statement given in your reply to Angela Johnson.’
In response, the Transport Direct software licence was withdrawn by the Department of
Transport on 30th September 2014. As a result the Medical Services Agreement was amended,
effective from 1st October 2014 and the following was issued to administrative staff within Atos
Healthcare;
‘Door to door public transport information will no longer be included with Appointment Letter
notifications. However, information on how to reach MECs via public transport will still be
included on the enclosed map.
The Transport Direct website is now no longer available; if you are required to obtain door to
door journey details, it is recommended that the following websites are used instead:
Cycling
Public transport
www.cyclestreets.net
maps.google.co.uk
traveline.info
Road journeys
www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp
maps.google.co.uk
www.rac.co.uk/route-planner/’
The Health and Disability Assessments (HDAS) contract was awarded by DWP to Centre for
Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) from 1st March 2015. There is no reference in this
contract regarding the issue of the provision of a journey planner and the requirement for CHDA
to provide specific travel information.
Claimant postcodes are mapped by CHDA to their nearest Assessment Centre within the
internal CHDA IT systems. Where a postcode is identified to be further than 90 minutes by public
transport; remote locations for example; it is mapped in the system with the auto enable tick box
left blank. This means that the system cannot automatically allocate an appointment, allowing
for staff to contact the claimant to book an agreeable appointment or offer a home visit if
required.
The Health and Disability Assessment Services (HDAS) Contract can be found using the
following website address/link:
http://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive/contract/1644334/
Section 10.6 of Schedule 2.1 (Service Requirements) provides information relating to the
scheduling of assessments.
I have provided below and extract from the Virtual Contact Centre Procedural Guide:
‘There are two scenarios where a DV (domiciliary visit) can be accepted:
The distance required to travel – known as the 90 minute rule
Claimant has a medical condition that makes travel difficult
If the customer states that public transport is not available to them to attend the appointment,
you will check whether this is the case on Google Maps and select public transport or
Traveline.info (whilst the customer is on the telephone).’
DWP Health Services Directorate centrally manages all aspects of CHDA performance and
service delivery. The current contractual agreement between the DWP and CHDA contains
numerous performance targets including throughput, claimant service and assessment report
quality. DWP has put in place strong contract management and operational monitoring regime
which drives the Supplier to meet stringent quality standards.
Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act is applied on the basis that personal data about a
third party, in this case names of DWP employees monitoring CHDA performance who are
below the Senior Civil Service (SCS) Grade, and it is Departmental policy that the names of
employees below SCS grades are not released as disclosure would breach data protection
principles.
The Department does not hold information relating to a DWP officer who has responsibility for
the issue of referrals made at Assessment Centres which are more than the 90 minutes from the
claimants home.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
DWP Central FoI Team
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