Freedom of Information Request - Ophthalmology

The request was partially successful.

Dear Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust,

I am writing to make an open government request for information relating to the use of Ophthalmic Devices and believe I am entitled to do this under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The questions I wish to raise are:

Please specify the Cataract volume and Intra Ocular Lens spend in the following years:
Year Cataract Volumes IOL £ Value ex VAT
2018
2019

Please specify the Trust’s current supplier of Intra Ocular Lenses:

Please indicate below the route of purchase.
Direct supply
Agency
Purchasing Hub
If supply is via an agency of purchasing group/hub, please provide the name:

What was the most commonly used Mono-Focal Intra Ocular Lens in 2018/2019
Please specify supplier name, model and price per lens for the most commonly used Mono- Focal Intra Ocular Lens, in 2018/2019.
Supplier Name
Supplier Model
Price per lens (ex VAT)
Which IOL is preferred Hydrophilic or Hydrophobic?

Most Recent Contract Award
Please specify when the most recent contract was awarded for the supply of Intra Ocular Lenses and provide the length of the contract:
Date of Award
Contract Length

Date of next planned Tender / Contract Award
Please provide the expected commencement date of the next planned Tender for the supply of Intra Ocular Lenses. Please also provide the expected date of the Contract Award.
Date of next planned Tender for IOL supply
Date of next Contract Award for IOL supply

Phaco Emulsification Equipment
Please provide details of the Phaco Emulsification Equipment installed:
Brand of Installed Phaco Machines, the number of machines, estimated date of renewal

If the release of any of this information is prohibited on the grounds of breach of confidence, I ask that you supply me with copies of the confidentiality agreement and remind you that information should not be treated as confidential if such an agreement has not been signed.

I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.

I appreciate your attention and look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Kind regards,

Carol Innes

Dear Ms Innes

I am writing in connection with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which was received on 31.01.2020.

Please be advised that Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTUH) Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (SUHT) and Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust (MEHT) ceased to exist on 31 March 2020. 

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT), which was formed on 1 April 2020 by merger of Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, is now responsible for all Freedom of Information requests concerning the three former trusts.

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise that you have not yet received a response to your request.  This lapse in standards is the result of a number of factors, not least the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business processes.

Given the time that has elapsed since you submitted your FOI request, we would be most grateful if you could confirm whether or not you still require a response to your information request.  If so, we will expedite completion of your request.

If we do not hear from you by 5pm on 26 October 2020, your request will be closed.

You have the right to refer this matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). 

The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire.  SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 700
Web Address: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Kind regards

Nicola Frost
Freedom of Information Manager – MSE Group
Corporate Governance & Membership Services
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Basildon University Hospital, Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL
Telephone: 01268 593631
Email [email address]

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Dear FOI,

Apologies for the delay getting back to you and thank you for your reply in October.

Please be advised that we still require the information requested under Freedom of Information. Please see questions below:

"I am writing to make an open government request for information relating to the use of Ophthalmic Devices and believe I am entitled to do this under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The questions I wish to raise are:

Please specify the Cataract volume and Intra Ocular Lens spend in the following years:
Year Cataract Volumes IOL £ Value ex VAT
2018
2019

Please specify the Trust’s current supplier of Intra Ocular Lenses:

Please indicate below the route of purchase.
Direct supply
Agency
Purchasing Hub
If supply is via an agency of purchasing group/hub, please provide the name:

What was the most commonly used Mono-Focal Intra Ocular Lens in 2018/2019
Please specify supplier name, model and price per lens for the most commonly used Mono- Focal Intra Ocular Lens, in 2018/2019.
Supplier Name
Supplier Model
Price per lens (ex VAT)
Which IOL is preferred Hydrophilic or Hydrophobic?

Most Recent Contract Award
Please specify when the most recent contract was awarded for the supply of Intra Ocular Lenses and provide the length of the contract:
Date of Award
Contract Length

Date of next planned Tender / Contract Award
Please provide the expected commencement date of the next planned Tender for the supply of Intra Ocular Lenses. Please also provide the expected date of the Contract Award.
Date of next planned Tender for IOL supply
Date of next Contract Award for IOL supply

Phaco Emulsification Equipment
Please provide details of the Phaco Emulsification Equipment installed:
Brand of Installed Phaco Machines, the number of machines, estimated date of renewal

If the release of any of this information is prohibited on the grounds of breach of confidence, I ask that you supply me with copies of the confidentiality agreement and remind you that information should not be treated as confidential if such an agreement has not been signed.

I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request"

I appreciate your attention and look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours sincerely,

Kath Dipple

Freedom of Information Requests

Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 that was received by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) today. This is an automated response to confirm receipt of your email.

You may be aware that the national standard for responding to FOI requests is 20 working days from receipt. However due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the NHS is under significant pressure at present. As a result, your FOI request is likely to take longer to fulfil than normal. I am sorry that we are not yet able to provide you with a target date for response.
If you have any concerns in this regard, please contact us. You also have the right to complain about the handling of your FOI request to the Information.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire. SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 700
Web Address: https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/off...

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which was formed on 1 April 2020 by merger of Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, is now responsible for all Freedom of Information requests concerning the three former trusts.

Kind regards

Nicola Frost
Freedom of Information Manager – MSE Group
Corporate Governance & Membership Services
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Basildon University Hospital, Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL
Telephone: 01268 593631
Email: [email address]<mailto:[email address]>

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Dear Ms Innes,

Thank you for contacting us again.

As we advised in October, we set the status of request 4771 to 'Closed' some time ago.

Now that we have heard from you again, we have set up a fresh request, with ref number 5417.

We note from your message below that there is no reference to time periods after 2018/2019. Would you like to reconsider the timeframe for your request, as well as the fact that the former Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust ceased to exist on March 31 2020, and have been operating jointly as Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) since 01 April 2020.

If you would like to update your request, please send us the revised details and we will take this forward as request number 5417.

With best regards,

Alan Larn.

Corporate Governance Administrator
Freedom of Information
Corporate Governance & Membership Services

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Tel: 01268 524900 ext 3217

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1 Attachment

Dear Ms Innes,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 15.01.2021, which
has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). 
Firstly may I apologise on behalf of the trust for the delay in providing
your response, which was primarily due to the demands upon all areas of
the trust during the pandemic.

Your request and our response are as follows:

I am writing to make an open government request for information relating
to the use of Ophthalmic Devices and believe I am entitled to do this
under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. 

The questions I wish to raise are:

Broomfield Southend Orsett
FOI 5417 (was 4771) Hospital Hospital /Basildon
(MEHT) (SUHT) Hospital
(BTUH)
Please specify the Cataract volume
and Intra Ocular Lens spend in the
following years:
Year Cataract Volumes IOL £ Value
ex VAT
2018 Circa £400,000 to £470,000
2019 Circa £400,000 to £470,000
Please specify the Trust’s current
supplier of Intra Ocular Lenses:
Please indicate below the route of
purchase.
Direct supply Direct Direct Direct
Agency      
Purchasing Hub      
If supply is via an agency of
purchasing group/hub, please
provide the name:      
What was the most commonly used
Mono-Focal Intra Ocular Lens in
2018/2019
Please specify supplier name, model
and price per lens for the most Bausch & Bausch & Bausch &
commonly used Mono- Focal Intra Lamb Lamb Lamb
Ocular Lens, in 2018/2019.
Supplier Name Commercially Commercially Commercially
Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Supplier Model Commercially Commercially Commercially
Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Price per lens (ex VAT) Commercially Commercially Commercially
Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Commercially Commercially Commercially
Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Which IOL is preferred Hydrophilic
or Hydrophobic?
Most Recent Contract Award
Please specify when the most recent
contract was awarded for the supply
of Intra Ocular Lenses and provide
the length of the contract:
 
Date of Award 01/03/2017 - 01/03/2022
Contract Length 48 months + 12 month extension
Date of next planned Tender /
Contract Award Date not set
Please provide the expected
commencement date of the next
planned Tender for the supply of
Intra Ocular Lenses. Please also
provide the expected date of the
Contract Award.
Date of next planned Tender for IOL Date not set
supply
Date of next Contract Award for IOL Date not set
supply
Phaco Emulsification Equipment
2 x Installed
Please provide details of the Phaco 15.06.2009 3 x Installed
Emulsification Equipment installed: N/A 17.08.12
1 x Installed
12.11.2010
Brand of Installed Phaco Machines, 3 Phaco
the number of machines, estimated N/A 3 Phaco
date of renewal 2 VR

Please be advised that Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust (BTUH) Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
(SHUT) and Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust (MEHT) ceased to exist on
31 March 2020. 

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT), which was formed on 1
April 2020 by merger of Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, Basildon
and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Southend
University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, is now responsible for all
Freedom of Information requests concerning the three former trusts.

The Freedom of Information address for Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation
Trust is [1][email address].  All future requests should be sent to that
address, from which all responses to new requests will be sent.

I hope that the response that the Trust has provided is satisfactory. 
However, if you are dissatisfied with the way in which your Freedom of
Information request has been dealt with you can request an internal
review. Please email [2][email address] within 40 working days with
clarification of what you would like to be reviewed. We will aim to
provide a review response within 20 working days.

If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right under section 50 of the Act
to apply to the Information Commissioner to seek resolution to the matter.
Further details can be found on their website:
[3]https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/.

Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 – General statement
of compliance

The Trust for its part is happy for you to reuse any of the information
supplied to you in compliance with the Open Government Licence (OGL)
terms:  Please click here for further details
[4]http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents...
.  We do not permit the forwarding or sale of staff/departmental contact
details and a specific Re-use of Information Regulations request is
required for such purposes.

If relevant, you will need the permission of other information owners. 
This can occur when you receive a document which is co-authored or where
the ownership lies with another organisation.  Provision under both the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations
2004 does not entitle you to re-use the information without appropriate
permissions.  Use must be in compliance with an Open Government Licence or
other agreed terms.

Kind regards

Nicola Frost

Freedom of Information Manager – MSE Group

Corporate Governance & Membership Services

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Basildon University Hospital, Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL

Telephone: 01268 593631

Email: [5][email address]

Visit our website: [6]https://www.mse.nhs.uk/

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