Dear Richard

Reference Number FOI 2024 - 134

Thank you for your request for information about North West Anglia NHS
Foundation Trust.

We anticipate being able to respond within the specified timescale.​

In the meantime if you have any questions regarding this request please
contact us directly quoting the reference number above.

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust comprises of Peterborough City
Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Stamford & Rutland Hospital.  The
Trust also provides community clinics at Princess of Wales Hospital in
Ely, Doddington Hospital and North Cambs Hospital in Wisbech.  Further
information is available via our website [1]www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk.

Any future Freedom of Information requests should be addressed to North
West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust using the email address below.

FOI Team

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

Email: [2][email address]

[3]www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk

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Ref: FOI/2024/134

Dear Richard

Thank you for your recent FOI request to North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust.

Please can we ask you to clarify whether the last question refers to spend for Histopathology only or an overall figure for the Trust please?

The 20-day clock for response is paused while we await your clarification.

Please note that due to the volume of Freedom of Information requests we receive, we are unable to administrate further reminders for clarification. Therefore, should we not hear from you by 20/03/24, we shall assume that you no longer require the information and the FOI request will be closed.

Kind regards

FOI Team
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Email: [North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust request email]

http://www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/

This message may contain legally privileged, confidential, commercial or patient information intended to be for the use of the individual (s) or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender and destroy all copies of the message as you would any other confidential waste (shredding or incineration for printed-copies, deletion for electronic copies). Please note that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.

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Thank you for your email. We will pass this on to the department concerned.

Kind regards

FOI Team
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Email: [North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust request email]

http://www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/

This message may contain legally privileged, confidential, commercial or patient information intended to be for the use of the individual (s) or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender and destroy all copies of the message as you would any other confidential waste (shredding or incineration for printed-copies, deletion for electronic copies). Please note that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.

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Ref: FOI/2024/134

Dear Richard

Thank you for your recent enquiry under the Freedom of Information Act.
Please find your response detailed below.

Requesters Questions and Trust Response:

For the period April 1st to December 31st 2023, please provide the
following information:

1.            How many whole time equivalent histopathology consultants
(as defined by being on the GMC specialist register for pathology) were
employed by the authority at 31/12/2023.

6 WTE

2.            How many histology cases were reported in the following
period, overall and by the following sub-specialties

┌─────────────────────────┬───────────┐
│- dermatology │4797 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────┤
│- gastro-intenstinal │9600 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────┤
│- urology │1700 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────┤
│- gynaecology │5212 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────┤
│- breast │1366 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────┤
│- thoracic │215 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────┤
│- head and neck │1216 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────┤
│- other │2149 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────┤
│- total cases reported │26255 │
└─────────────────────────┴───────────┘

3.            How many of the total cases given above were reported by:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────┐
│a.                                consultants (or│18232 cases │
│other medical staff) employed by the authority │ │
│during their contract Programmed Activities or │ │
│PAs. │ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────┤
│b.                                consultants │5155 cases │
│employed by the authority, being paid additional │ │
│amounts over and above their salary for │ │
│additional work. │ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────┤
│c.                                locum │89 cases │
│consultants working for the authority  │ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────┤
│d.                                external │Please see table below│
│reporting companies.  Please provide a total │ │
│number of cases and the number reported by each │ │
│of the following: │ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────┘

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┬────┐
│- Unilabs │  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- HCA Laboratories including their subsidiary Backlogs │  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- Source LD Path (previously Source Bioscience, and LD Path │5779│
│limited) │ │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- Cellular Pathology Services Limited │  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- Diagnexia │  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- Digital Pathology Partners │  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- Cyted (including their subsidiary Pathognomics) │  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- Poundbury Cancer Institute │  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- Medica │  │
├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────┤
│- external reporting companies total │  │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴────┘

4.           How much did the authority spend on each of the following
during the period

                a.            consultants (or other medical staff)
employed by the authority during their contract Programmed Activities or
PAs. (salary plus NI plus pension contrbution)

                b.            consultants employed by the authority, being
paid additional amounts over and above their salary for additional work.

                c.             locum consultants working for the authority

                d.            external reporting companies.  Please
provide a total spend and the spend with each of the following:

- Unilabs

- HCA Laboratories including their subsidiary Backlogs

- Source LD Path (previously Source Bioscience, and LD Path limited)

- Cellular Pathology Services Limited

- Diagnexia

- Digital Pathology Partners

- Cyted (including their subsidiary Pathognomics)

- Poundbury Cancer Institute

- Medica

- external reporting companies total

This information is being withheld under section 43 of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.  Please see below for further details.

Further details for information being withheld under section 43 of the
FOIA

In accordance with section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 this
letter acts as a refusal notice, and as such North West Anglia NHS
Foundation Trust (“Trust”) is not obliged to supply the requested
information. The exemptions and the reasons for their application are as
stated below:

┌─────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Exemption │Reason │
├─────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│Section 43(2)│Information is exempt if its disclosure would, or would be│
│ │likely to; prejudice the commercial interests of any │
│  │person (including the public authority holding it). │
└─────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Exemption under Section 43(2)

Release of this information is likely to damage the confidence that
suppliers may have in the Trust.  This may have a detrimental effect on
the Trust’s commercial revenue through a reduction in our competitive
position or weaken our position in a competitive environment by revealing
commercially sensitive information or information of potential usefulness
to competitors.

It is our belief that the release of the requested information would, or
would be likely to; prejudice the commercial interests of the Trust.  In
particular, disclosure would make it less likely that companies or
individuals would provide the Trust with commercially sensitive
information in the future.  This would substantially prejudice the Trust’s
commercial interests by adversely affecting its bargaining position during
contractual negotiations.  This would undoubtedly result in the less
effective use of public money.  To paraphrase Information Commissioner’s
Office (ICO) guidance, the Trust asserts that there is a real possibility
that the circumstances giving rise to prejudice would occur, and that it
is not purely hypothetical.

A public interest test must be applied to the exemption for prejudice to
commercial interests.  There is no doubt that there is a legitimate public
interest in knowing the amount and way in which public time and effort are
spent, both to further the transparency and accountability of public
authority activities.  In this specific case there is also a public
interest in ensuring information is accessible.

We would counter nevertheless that there is also a public interest in
protecting the ability of public authorities to operate in a competitive
environment and obtain value for money for the public purse through
genuine and effective competition.  To disclose this information would
prejudice the Trust’s commercial position, and it is difficult to see how
this could be in the public interest.  Therefore we find that the public
interest is overwhelmingly in favour of withholding the requested
information.

Please note that this response has been provided within the 20 working day
timeframe as stipulated in the Act.

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust comprises of Peterborough City
Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Stamford & Rutland Hospital.  The
Trust also provides community clinics at Princess of Wales Hospital in
Ely, Doddington Hospital and North Cambs Hospital in Wisbech.  Further
information is available via our website [1]www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk.

If you disagree with our decision or are dissatisfied with how we have
dealt with your request in the first instance you may contact me on the
following email address [2][North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust request email] to request an
internal review.

Should you remain dissatisfied with the outcome you have a right under s50
of the Freedom of Information Act to appeal against the decision by
contacting:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

Email: [3][email address]

Yours sincerely

FOI Team

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

Email: [4][North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust request email]

[5]www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk

This message may contain legally privileged, confidential, commercial or
patient information intended to be for the use of the individual (s) or
entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise
the sender and destroy all copies of the message as you would any other
confidential waste (shredding or incineration for printed-copies, deletion
for electronic copies). Please note that any dissemination, distribution
or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.

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Ref: FOI/2024/134

Dear Richard

Thank you for your email regarding your request for an internal review of
your recent Freedom of Information request to North West Anglia NHS
Foundation Trust.

We can confirm that this has been escalated to the relevant person for the
internal review to be conducted and we anticipate being able to respond
within 20 working days.​

In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding this, please contact
us directly quoting the reference number above.

Kind regards

FOI Team

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

Email: [1][North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust request email]

[2]www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk

This message may contain legally privileged, confidential, commercial or
patient information intended to be for the use of the individual (s) or
entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise
the sender and destroy all copies of the message as you would any other
confidential waste (shredding or incineration for printed-copies, deletion
for electronic copies). Please note that any dissemination, distribution
or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.

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Ref: FOI/2024/134

Dear Richard

Please find attached the response to your request for an internal review
of your Freedom of Information request to North West Anglia NHS Foundation
Trust.

Yours sincerely

FOI Team

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

Email: [1][email address]

[2]www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk

This message may contain legally privileged, confidential, commercial or
patient information intended to be for the use of the individual (s) or
entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise
the sender and destroy all copies of the message as you would any other
confidential waste (shredding or incineration for printed-copies, deletion
for electronic copies). Please note that any dissemination, distribution
or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.

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