Histology Reporting

The request was partially successful.

Dear The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust,

1.How many histology slides and or cases (please state whether the number given is slides or cases or both) were reported by consultant histopathologists for patients treated by the trust. If exact numbers are not available, an estimate to within 5% is acceptable, but please state whether exact numbers or estimates are given. (cytology should be excluded)

2.Of these slides/ cases how many were reported by:
a.Consultants employed by the trust working in their normal NHS programmed activity sessions
b.Consultants employed by the trust being paid for additional sessions
c.Consultants employed by the trust being paid an amount per slide or case for activity outside their contracted programmed activities
d.Consultants employed by other trusts, where the trust contracts with these consultants or their trust
e.Backlogs Limited
f.Unilabs
g.Source Bioscience
h.Cellular Pathology Services Limited
i.Other private histology providers (please specify which)

3.How much was spent in 2016/17 with each of the following in relation to the reporting of histology slides/ cases a.Consultants employed by the trust being paid for additional sessions
b.Consultants employed by the trust being paid an amount per slide or case for activity outside their contracted programmed activities
c.Consultants employed by other trusts, where the trust contracts with these consultants or their trust
d.Backlogs Limited
e.Unilabs
f.Source Bioscience
g.Cellular Pathology Services Limited
h.Other private histology providers (please specify which)

Yours faithfully,

C Lowe

Freedom of Information,

Dear C Lowe
 
We are writing to acknowledge receipt Friday, 4^th August 2017 of your
request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  Your
request has been assigned the following reference number 3506, please
could you quote this reference number in any future correspondence
relating to your request.
 
We will endeavor to respond to your request at the earliest opportunity
within the statutory 20 working day (4^th September 2017) time limit
subject to the following constraints:-
 
(a) The Freedom of Information Act 2000 defines a number of exemptions,
which may prevent the release of the information you have requested. If
any of the exemption categories apply, the information will not be
released to you and we will advise you accordingly, including your rights
of appeal.
 
(b) If the information you have requested contains reference to a third
party, we will consult with them prior to making a decision on whether to
release the information to you.
 
Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner
at:-
 
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
SK9 5AF
 
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: [1]www.ico.org.uk
 
If we can be of any further assistance in the meantime please do not
hesitate to contact us.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Freedom of Information Office
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
 

show quoted sections

Freedom of Information,

Dear  C Lowe
 
Re:  Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Please can you clarify what is the timeframe for question 1 and 2 below.
 
Please note under section 1(3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, a
public authority need not comply with a request unless any further
information reasonably required to locate the information is supplied. The
Trust has accordingly paused in responding to your request. At such time
as you clarify your request, the Trust will be able to begin to process
your request.  However, please note that if we do not receive
clarification within three months, your request will be considered to have
lapsed.
 
If we can be of any further assistance in the meantime please do not
hesitate to contact us.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Freedom of Information Office
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
 
 
_____________________________________________
From: Freedom of Information
Sent: 04 August 2017 09:12
To: 'C Lowe'
Cc: Freedom of Information
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Histology Reporting
 
 
Dear C Lowe
 
We are writing to acknowledge receipt Friday, 4^th  August 2017 of your
request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  Your
request has been assigned the following reference number 3506, please
could you quote this reference number in any future correspondence
relating to your request.
 
We will endeavor to respond to your request at the earliest opportunity
within the statutory 20 working day (4^th September 2017) time limit
subject to the following constraints:-
 
(a) The Freedom of Information Act 2000 defines a number of exemptions,
which may prevent the release of the information you have requested. If
any of the exemption categories apply, the information will not be
released to you and we will advise you accordingly, including your rights
of appeal.
 
(b) If the information you have requested contains reference to a third
party, we will consult with them prior to making a decision on whether to
release the information to you.
 
Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner
at:-
 
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
SK9 5AF
 
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: [1]www.ico.org.uk
 
If we can be of any further assistance in the meantime please do not
hesitate to contact us.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Freedom of Information Office
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
 

show quoted sections

Freedom of Information,

Dear  C Lowe
 
Thank you for your request for information dated 4^th August 2017 under
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the FOI Act).
 
Decision:
 
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust holds some of the information that you
have requested and has decided to release some of the information, but not
all of the information requested as set out below:
 

Your request: Our response:
   
1.How many histology slides and
or cases (please state whether
the number given is slides or
cases or both) were reported by
consultant histopathologists for
patients treated by the trust. 19155 SPECIMENS (workload calculated on
  number of specimens not cases)
If exact numbers are not  
available, an estimate to within
5% is acceptable, but please
state whether exact numbers or
estimates are given. (cytology
should be excluded)
No of Slides/cases
for 2016/17
Consultants
employed by the
trust working in 4676 specimens
their normal NHS  
programmed activity
2.  Of these slides/ cases how sessions
many were reported by: Our pathologists are
a.Consultants employed by the paid additional
trust working in their normal NHS Consultants sessions as part of
programmed activity sessions employed by the the job plan but
  trust being paid this is not
b.Consultants employed by the for additional specifically for
trust being paid for additional sessions slide reporting, it
sessions is for MDT cover,
  specimen dissection,
c.Consultants employed by the management etc
trust being paid an amount per   Consultants
slide or case for activity employed by the
outside their contracted trust being paid an
programmed activities amount per slide or
  case for activity 10226 specimens
d.Consultants employed by other outside their
trusts, where the trust contracts contracted
with these consultants or their programmed
trust activities
   
e.Backlogs Limited Consultants
  employed by other
f.Unilabs trusts, where the
  trust contracts 383 specimens
g.Source Bioscience with these
  consultants or
h.Cellular Pathology Services their trust
Limited Backlogs Limited 510 specimens
   
i.Other private histology Source Bioscience 468 specimens
providers (please specify which) Unilabs Not applicable
   
Cellular Pathology Not Applicable
Services Limited
Other private
histology providers Not Applicable
(please specify
which)

 
 

Spent in 2016/17
a.Consultants employed This is part of
by the trust being paid job plan
for additional sessions
b.Consultants employed
by the trust being paid
an amount per slide or £242,615.26
case for activity  
outside their
contracted programmed
activities
c.Consultants employed
by other trusts, where
the trust contracts Please see
with these consultants statement below
or their trust
d.Backlogs Limited
f.Source Bioscience
e.Unilabs
g.Cellular Pathology
Services Limited Not Applicable
h.Other private
histology providers
(please specify which)

 
Please note TRFT are not able to provide
the cost of the projects as these are
part of the procurement contract and
therefore commercially sensitive.  
 
Section 43(2) of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 provides that:
 
“Information is exempt information if
its disclosure under this Act would, or
would be likely to, prejudice the
commercial interests of any person
(including the public authority holding
3.How much was spent in 2016/17 it)”.
with each of the following in  
relation to the reporting of This exemption is subject to the public
histology slides/ cases interest test.
a.Consultants employed by the  
trust being paid for additional Section 43(2) provides an exemption from
sessions disclosure where to release information
b.Consultants employed by the would, or would be likely to prejudice
trust being paid an amount per the commercial interests of any party
slide or case for activity (including the Public Authority holding
outside their contracted it).
programmed activities Disclosure of the requested information
c.Consultants employed by other could prejudice pending or future
trusts, where the trust contracts negotiations the Trust may be subject
with these consultants or their to.
trust  
d.Backlogs Limited This is a qualified exemption under the
e.Unilabs FOI Act which means that consideration
f.Source Bioscience must also be given to whether in all the
g.Cellular Pathology Services circumstances of the case the public
Limited interest favouring disclosure is greater
h.Other private histology than the public interest in maintaining
providers (please specify which) the exemption. The public interest means
what is in the best interests of the
public not what is of interest to the
public.
Public interest test considerations
We have considered whether the public
interest in maintaining the exemption
outweighs the public interest in
disclosing the information. There are a
number of public interest arguments that
weigh in favour of disclosing the
information you have sought:
• The general proposition of maximising
openness that the FOIA and the Trust
aspire to;
• The benefits of ensuring transparent
and accountable government by disclosing
how the Trust receives and spends public
money;
However, there are also public interest
arguments against disclosure:
• Releasing the requested information
could prejudice the Trust’s current or
future negotiation capabilities.
 
The Trust has determined that the
information being withheld could
prejudice the commercial sensitivity of
negotiations the Trust and a third party
contractor are subject to. As such the
Trust argues that this information
should be withheld to maintain “a
confidential, private space (away from
the public and hence external scrutiny)
in which it is able to discuss and
determine such issues affecting it and
or third parties, in order to facilitate
full and frank deliberation and debate
and permit high quality decision making
which is required for the sound
performance of the Trust as a whole”.
 

 
We hope the above information satisfies your request
 
If you consider that your request for information has not been properly
handled or if you are otherwise dissatisfied with the outcome of your
request, you can try to resolve this informally with the person who dealt
with your request.
 
If you remain dissatisfied, you may seek an internal review within The
Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust of the issue or the decision. A senior
member of the Trust’s staff, who has not previously been involved in
collating the response to your request, will undertake that review.
Requests for an internal review must be submitted within two months of the
date of receipt of this response and should be addressed to: The Freedom
of Information Office ([1][email address])
 
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of any internal review conducted
by the Trust, you may complain to the Information Commissioner for a
decision on whether your request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the FOI Act. The Information Commissioner can be contacted
at:
 
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
SK9 5AF
 
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: [2]www.ico.org.uk
 
Copyright Notice:
 
We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that information
disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act is still protected by
copyright laws. The disclosure does not give you ‘the applicant’ the right
to breach the copyright of the copyright holder.
 
Any information provided is the property of The Rotherham NHS Foundation
Trust and subject to Intellectual Property and Database Rights.   Any
commercial application or use of this information will be subject to the
provisions of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005.
This means that if you wish to re-use the information provided for
commercial purposes for any reason you must ask us for permission to do
so.
 
The information provided to you from The Rotherham NHS FoundationTrust
should not be used to construct a database for direct marketing purposes
and unsolicited emails infringing the copyright in the material provided
or otherwise processed in contravention of the rights of the named
individuals under the Data Protection Act unless you have our explicit
permission separate to this FOI request.
 
To do so you will need to apply to:
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
Moorgate Road
Rotherham
South Yorkshire
S60 2UD
 
Or via e-mail at: [3][The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust request email]
 
Yours sincerely
   
Freedom of Information Office
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
 
 
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Freedom of Information,

 
 
Dear C Lowe
 
You recently received a response to your FOI request to Rotherham NHS
Foundation Trust.  We would be grateful if you would complete the short
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 5. Do you have any suggestions as to how we can improve our service?

 
Yours sincerely
 
Freedom of Information Office
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust