Our Ref: 9208  

Dear Enquirer,

INFORMATION REQUEST

Thank you for your request for information which will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know the likely charges before proceeding.

If you have any queries about this matter please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Please note, that due to the recent outbreak of Covid-19, there may be a
delay in responding to your request. We appreciate your patience at this
busy period.

Kind regards

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk

Our Ref: 9208   

Dear Enquirer,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

I refer to your Freedom of Information request for details of procurement
status and plans for eBrokerage, and/or Visit Charge Processing solutions
in 2021 through 2022.

Right of Access

Section 1(1) of the Act provides any person making a request for
information to a public authority is entitled.

(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request (which Section
1(6) of the Act designates as the "duty to confirm or deny"), and

(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him.

The right is to obtain access to the information itself and not to the
document or record which contains it.

The Act creates a general right of access to information held by public
authorities subject to various exemptions.

Duty to confirm or deny

The public interest test requires Northumberland County Council to confirm
that we hold information in relation to procurement status and plans for
eBrokerage, and/or Visit Charge Processing solutions in 2021 through 2022.
Q1. Does the Council have any plans to
Q.1a) procure an eBrokerage cloud software solution (for brokering
commissioned care packages across its care providers, primarily but not
restricted to only domiciliary care) in 2021/2022, and if so when,
Q.1b) via which procurement route, and
Q.1c) provide the contact name for the relevant procurement lead OR if
Council privacy policy so requires, the name of the department leading the
procurement within the Council, as well as an indication if, and when /
how the Council intends to contact or is willing to engage with the
market, plus if the Council would be interested in receiving information
in this regard?
And regarding visit charge processing for paying commissioned care
providers against the services they have delivered on behalf of the
Council:
Q2. Does the Council have any plans to
Q.2a procure a Provider Payment/Council Self-billing cloud software
solution (for processing and calculating visit data submitted by
commissioned care providers for the visits they have undertaken on behalf
of the Council, primarily but not restricted to only domiciliary care) in
2021/2022, and if so when,
Q.2b via which procurement route, and
Q.2c provide the contact name for the relevant procurement lead OR if
Council privacy policy so requires, the name of the department leading the
procurement within the Council, as well as an indication if and when / how
the Council intends to contact or is willing to engage with the market,
plus if the Council would be interested in receiving information in this
regard?
A.1-2c This information is withheld under Section 21 - Accessible by other
means. 
The contracts register will contain the end dates of any current contracts
for the above-mentioned software solutions and will indicate when the
renewal procurement will take place.  Any future procurements would be
advertised and tendered via ProContract.
Exemptions

The Freedom of Information Act sets out various exemptions to the right of
access.

In the present case the County Council takes the view that the information
relating to your request is exempt under the following provisions;

Section 21 of the Act states that a public Authority does not need to
provide information under section 1 of the Act if that information is
reasonably accessible to the applicant by other means.

The information is available via the following link:
[1]https://procontract.due-north.com/Contra...

Notice of Refusal

Please treat this letter as a Notice of Refusal as regards the information
covered by the Section 21 Exemption.

Advice and Assistance

The County Council recognises its statutory duty to provide advice and
assistance under Section 16 of the Act.

Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the Council
is seeking to be transparent and open in its response.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request an internal review by writing within 2 months
from the date of this response to the Information Governance Office:

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF

Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]

Information Commissioner

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right by Section 50 of the Act to apply to the Information
Commissioner for a decision as to whether your request has been dealt with
in accordance with the requirements of the Act at:

The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: [email address]

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours faithfully

FOI Coordinator - Procurement
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: [2]http://www.northumberland.gov.uk

References

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2. http://track.vuelio.uk.com/z.z?l=aHR0cDo...

Our Ref: 9208   

Dear Enquirer,

INTERNAL REVIEW OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST - Procurement status &
plans for eBrokerage, and / or Visit Charge Processing solutions in 2021
through 2022

Thank you for your request for an internal review received 05.07.2021 into
the response to your Freedom of Information request received on
28.04.2021.

A Senior Officer independent of the original response will review all
correspondence and write to you with our final response by 02.08.2021.

Kind regards

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk

FAO: Peter Briggs
Please find attached letter detailing my findings following an Internal
Review of your original FOI Request ref 9208.

Regards

Mike Turner
Head of Property and Capital Programming
Northumberland County Council

Tel:       01670 622905
Mobile:  07810 756551
Email:    [1][email address]
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
 
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[2]Northumberland County Council Stay Home

References

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