Print and print stock management, EPR, and document management services.

Ella Atherton made this Freedom of Information request to Dumfries and Galloway NHS Board Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.

The request was successful.

Dear Dumfries and Galloway NHS Board,

I am writing to submit a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), for access to information related to use of print and print stock management including printed stationery, covering both your operational print requirements and communications requirements; Electronic Patient Records (EPR) systems and use of document management services.

As a member of the public, I am seeking information related to the agency's records management practices, policies, and procedures.
I would be most grateful if you would provide me details in respect to the following:

A. Print and print stock management
1. (a) What is the actual spend on print stock management including printed stationery in the last year broken down by contractual managed stock and ad-hoc (non-stock)?
(b) What is the actual spend on print stock management including printed stationery over the last 5 years broken down by contractual managed stock and ad-hoc (non-stock)?
2. What is the trust spending on print stock management including printed stationery – both operational and communications spend that isn’t covered contractually?
3. Could you please provide a copy of the service/product specification given to all bidders for when this contract was last advertised?
4. (a) Has a decision been made yet on whether the framework(s)/contract(s) are being extended or renewed?
(b) If yes, what decision was made?
(c) If no, what is the reason the contract is not being extended or renewed?
5. What are the criteria used in selection of print management suppliers?

B. Electronic Patient Records EPR
1. Please could you confirm the main EPR system (e.g Cerner Millennium, EPIC etc.) in place at your Trust?
2. (a) If you currently do not have an EPR system in place, do you have plans to implement one? (Yes/No)?
(b) If yes, when?
3. Will a paper scanning system (such as MediViewer) be used in conjunction with the EPR system for existing patient records and future documentation of patient records?
4. Is the department required to maintain paper records as well as digital records of patients?
5. (a) Are EPR systems used alongside paper records or only one of the two?
(b) If only one, please specify which is currently used.
6. (a) Is there an existing project in place to fully implement EPR to replace all paper records?
(b) If so, what is the expected timeline for this project?
(c) If not, is there a plan to introduce one?

C. Document Management Services
1. What is the actual spend on Electronic Documents and Records Management Systems (EDRMS) over the last 5 years?
2. What is the actual spend on digital mail rooms and/or hybrid mail rooms over the last 5 years?
3. What is the actual spend on document scanning over the last 5 years?
4. What is the actual spend on document storage over the last 5 years?
5. What is the actual spend on digital dictation over the last 5 years?
6. What is the actual spend on workflow process automation and cloud services over the last 5 years?
7. (a) Are there existing contracts for these services?
(b) If yes, who are the current suppliers broken down by EDRMS, digital mail rooms and/or hybrid mail rooms, document scanning, document storage, digital dictation workflow process automation and cloud services?
8. (a) Were these contracts awarded following a tender process conducted under a framework?
(b) If so, kindly provide details.
9. When were the contracts awarded, and for what period of time?
10. What are the records retention schedules including any schedules that outline the length of time records are to be retained and their final disposal, such as destruction or transfer to an archive?

I am requesting these records in electronic format, preferably in a machine-readable format such as Word, PDF or Excel. If the requested records are not available in electronic format, I request that they be provided in their original format.

If my request is denied in whole or in part, I request a written explanation of the denial and the specific legal basis for withholding the requested records.

Please acknowledge receipt of this request in writing and provide an estimated timeframe for the completion of the request, as required by FOIA.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to receiving the requested records.

Yours faithfully,

Ella Atherton

dg.feedback, Dumfries and Galloway NHS Board

1 Attachment

Thank you for your request received 17 April.

Please find attached NHS Dumfries and Galloway's response to your Freedom of Information request.

Kind regards

Freedom of Information Officer
NHS Dumfries and Galloway

show quoted sections

Dear dg.feedback,

Many thanks for your reply!

Yours sincerely,

Ella Atherton