LBC Request
Dear South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust,
I wish to know how many times (from 1st April 2015 to present) extra pay, or higher hourly rates, have been offered as an incentive for staff to work overtime, during exceptional circumstances to fill rota gaps.
For each case, please provide:
1. The date.
2. The number of staff paid extra, and the amount.
3. The reasons – if given.
Yours faithfully,
Rachael Venables
Dear Rachael Venables
Thank you for your request for information regarding incentive payments
which we received on 17 July 2018.
We will deal with this request in accordance with your right of access to
information we hold under the Freedom of Information Act and I attach a
leaflet containing further information about both your rights and our
obligations under this legislation. You will see from this that we are not
obliged to generate information we do not already hold in order to provide
what we are asked for, such as by collating data or formulating direct
answers to questions, but you are entitled to receive copies of records
(or extracts from them) that contain the information you have requested.
We will research the information you have requested and we will respond
providing what we hold no later than 14 August 2018 in accordance with the
timescales set by the Act.
We will inform you:
a) if we are unable to provide any of the information you have requested,
in which case we will explain the reason for this; or
b) if there is any fee payable for the information we are able to provide.
In the meantime, if you have any queries or require clarification on any
aspect of your request or how we will respond, please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Regards
Kate Minett | Acting Assistant Information Governance Manager
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
[1]cid:[email address]
Direct Line 01392 453 872
Web [2]www.swast.nhs.uk
E-Mail [3][email address]
Abbey Court, Eagle Way, Exeter EX2 7HY
References
Visible links
2. http://www.swast.nhs.uk/
3. mailto:[email address]
Dear Rachael
I refer to our acknowledgement on 17^th July 2018 of your request for
information regarding incentive payments under the provisions of the
Freedom of Information Act.
Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in providing a response.
We are able to provide the following information:
Information requested Our Response
I wish to know how many times (from Incentive payments have been offered
1st April 2015 to present) extra pay, on a variety of dates during the
or higher hourly rates, have been time period you specify. In some
offered as an incentive for staff to cases the incentive payment applied
work overtime, during exceptional to a specific shift only and not to
circumstances to fill rota gaps. all shifts on a specific date. We
estimate that reviewing our records
to extract and collate information
by date would exceed the time/cost
For each case, please provide: limit set out in s12 Freedom of
Information Act and we therefore
consider this information to be
exempt from disclosure.
1. The date.
2. The number of staff Since 1^st April 2015, the Trust has
paid extra, and the amount made an incentive payment to 3758
individual staff members in respect
of one or more shifts. Please note
that this figure includes staff
working in our front line vehicles
and clinical hubs in relation to
emergency ambulance and urgent care
services across the whole of the
Trust area. This figure is not
directly comparable to staff
headcount as this figure includes
staff who have since left the Trust,
and also the new employees recruited
into those roles.
To put these figures in context,
there are in region of 650,000
shifts worked across the Trust
annually.
Staff undertaking an incentive shift
receive a flat payment of between
£50 to £150 depending on the arising
needs of the organisation.
3. The reasons – if given. Incentive shifts are offered only in
circumstances where the shift cannot
be filled through contracted staff,
the Trust’s bank staff or through
standard overtime.
Please note that, under the Re-use of Public Sector Information
Regulations, if you wish to publish or otherwise use this information
besides for your own means, you will need to seek our permission to do so.
Please feel free to contact me if you require further clarification of the
information provided, or to discuss any aspect of the way in which we have
responded to your request. Alternatively you may wish to discuss this
issue with our Head of Marketing, PR & Communications Claire Warner on
01392 261520 or, you can email her at [1][email address]
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you also have the right to make
use of the following complaints procedures:
In the first instance you may write to the Chief Executive of this Trust
Mr Ken Wenman
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Abbey Court
Eagle Way
Exeter EX2 7HY
Mr Wenman will then make arrangements for your complaint to be reviewed
and for the outcome to be communicated to you.
If you are unhappy with the response to your complaint you can contact the
Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner’s Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire. SK9 5AF
Tel: 01625 545 700
Fax: 01625 524 510
Regards
Kind regards
Clare Lunk | Assistant Information Governance Manager
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
[2]cid:[email address]
Direct Line 01392 453 814
Web [3]www.swast.nhs.uk
E-Mail [4][email address]
Abbey Court, Eagle Way, Exeter EX2 7HY
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.swast.nhs.uk/
4. mailto:[email address]
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