To Whom do I file a complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and others

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group,

Can you please confirm the process, the policy used and the named officer/s who I file a complaint regarding 'Misconduct in Public Office' where matters relate to, but are not limited to the following individuals:

Dr Nick Harding, Chair SWBCCG
Andy Williams, Accountable Officer, SWBCCG
James Green, Director of Finance,SWBCCG
Alice McGee (formerly Copage), Senior Organisational Development / HR Manager, Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit / SWBCCG
Claire Parker, Chief Officer, Quality and Safety, SWBCCG
Paul Westwood, C W Audit Services
Julie Jasper, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Richard Nugent, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Olivia Amartey, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Carla Evans, Head of Primary Care, SWBCCG
Lisa Maxfield, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Sharon Liggins, Chief Officer, SWBCCG

Please note, I have been seeking this information since the early part of 2015. As, you know there has been a great deal of reluctance and obfuscation from senior NHS managers in providing me with the correct point of contact. To date, senior management have referred me to Andrew Reed, NHS England who advised me that he was not the person who deals with such matters. Following a further attempt to obtain a correct contact and despite knowing the gravity of my complaint senior management again referred me to NHS England on that occasion they only gave me the PO Box of NHS England's call centre, who also advised that it was not NHS England. Confusingly though, NHS Commissioners, NHS Improvement, NHS National Guardians Office, Healthwatch, Walsall and Healthwatch, Sandwell, Walsall CCG and others have also directed me to NHS England, where Sue Doheny advised she would investigate matters then failed to maintain contact to advise me of the outcome of her investigation, more recently I have been directed to Alison Tonge, NHS England who is not responding to her calls.

Therefore given both the incorrect information and the conflicting information, I need to ask again for the named contact of the person to whom I can file a complaint along with their job title, role and full contact address, including telephone number and E-mail address.

Given that the above named have either been unhelpful or given false responses in earlier requests for information via other processes, including Freedom of Information requests and perjury has been apparent and they are all implicated in my complaint, can you please ensure that my Freedom of Information request is dealt with by another officers, one who acts with honesty, transparency, integrity and is courageous in dealing with abuses of power.

LJoNes

Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group

Dear Sir or Madam

thank you for your request for information to SWBCCG.

To ensure I have correctly understood your request may I ask that you confirm the information sought is the following:

"the named contact of the person to whom I can file a complaint along with their job title, role and full contact address, including telephone number and E-mail address."

May I also ask in line with section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act and to protect your rights that you confirm your full name.

I have also located the following information published on the CCG's website which I hope you find useful:

https://sandwellandwestbhamccg.nhs.uk/cu...

https://sandwellandwestbhamccg.nhs.uk/fr...

Once I am in receipt of your clarified request I will be in a position to progress it.

kind regards
Philip

Philip Humphreys
Freedom of Information Manager
NHS Arden & GEM CSU

T: 01246 514965
M: 07827083868
E: [email address]
________________________________________
From: LJoNes <[FOI #494651 email]>
Sent: 28 June 2018 15:09
To: FOI requests at NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG
Subject: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and others

Dear NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group,

Can you please confirm the process, the policy used and the named officer/s who I file a complaint regarding 'Misconduct in Public Office' where matters relate to, but are not limited to the following individuals:

Dr Nick Harding, Chair SWBCCG
Andy Williams, Accountable Officer, SWBCCG
James Green, Director of Finance,SWBCCG
Alice McGee (formerly Copage), Senior Organisational Development / HR Manager, Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit / SWBCCG
Claire Parker, Chief Officer, Quality and Safety, SWBCCG
Paul Westwood, C W Audit Services
Julie Jasper, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Richard Nugent, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Olivia Amartey, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Carla Evans, Head of Primary Care, SWBCCG
Lisa Maxfield, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Sharon Liggins, Chief Officer, SWBCCG

Please note, I have been seeking this information since the early part of 2015. As, you know there has been a great deal of reluctance and obfuscation from senior NHS managers in providing me with the correct point of contact. To date, senior management have referred me to Andrew Reed, NHS England who advised me that he was not the person who deals with such matters. Following a further attempt to obtain a correct contact and despite knowing the gravity of my complaint senior management again referred me to NHS England on that occasion they only gave me the PO Box of NHS England's call centre, who also advised that it was not NHS England. Confusingly though, NHS Commissioners, NHS Improvement, NHS National Guardians Office, Healthwatch, Walsall and Healthwatch, Sandwell, Walsall CCG and others have also directed me to NHS England, where Sue Doheny advised she would investigate matters then failed to maintain contact to advise me of the outcome of her investigation, more recently I have been directed to Alison Tonge, NHS England who is not responding to her calls.

Therefore given both the incorrect information and the conflicting information, I need to ask again for the named contact of the person to whom I can file a complaint along with their job title, role and full contact address, including telephone number and E-mail address.

Given that the above named have either been unhelpful or given false responses in earlier requests for information via other processes, including Freedom of Information requests and perjury has been apparent and they are all implicated in my complaint, can you please ensure that my Freedom of Information request is dealt with by another officers, one who acts with honesty, transparency, integrity and is courageous in dealing with abuses of power.

LJoNes

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #494651 email]

Is [NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

________________________________

This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Any views or opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent the views of the Trust unless explicitly stated.

The information contained in this email may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt from disclosure, the confidentiality of this email and your reply cannot be guaranteed.

________________________________

********************************************************************************************************************

This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.

NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited email services.

For more information and to find out how you can switch, https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

hide quoted sections

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

Please note, the links supplied are to be used when a person is making a complaint with regards to a service provider, whereas my complaint relates to conduct of members of SWBCCG Board and senior management. Can you please send me the correct information. I notice that Arden and Gem CSU are hosted by NHS England and support 70 CCG's, therefore I now send the same FOI request to your company. Also from reviewing a recent National Guardians office presentation it confirms that CCG's are accountable to NHS England the National Audit Office via a NHS England publication confirm the same. As Simon Stevens attended the conference where the presentation was delivered can you or SWBCCG also supply full contact details for his office. It is recorded on the National Guardians website that funding for their service is partially met by NHS England. Please note: Paul Jennings, Accountable Officer (AO), CCG twitter feed refers to being required to attend both national and regional NHS England AO meetings. In legislation, I am informed that it is NHS England who recruit AO to CCG across the country monitoring their leadership performance and it is only NHS England who have the authority to set up, merge or dissolve a CCG. NHS staff I have corresponded with, thus far, have all provided either misleading or conflicting information, therefore I need to know the correct contact details.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes

Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group

1 Attachment

Good afternoon Sir or Madam
 
Thank you for your email.
 
Please note that my email was not the response to your request for
information.  My email was asking you to clarify the following two points:
 

* Is your request seeking "the named contact of the person to whom I can
file a complaint along with their job title, role and full contact
address, including telephone number and E-mail address."
* May I also ask in line with section 8 of the Freedom of Information
Act and to protect your rights that you confirm your full name. (It is
unclear if LJoNes is a name).

 
The links provided to information published by SWBCCG regarding making a
compliant were provided as further assistance only and again not in
response to your request for information for which we require the above
clarification.  Once clarified I will be in a position to progress your
request.
 
Additionally please note that should you wish to make a request for
information held by NHS Arden & GEM CSU this would be via NHS England at
the following email address [1][email address] See NHS England’s
website for further information
[2]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/foi/
 
I note you ask for contact details for NHS England/Simon Stevens –
preliminary searches have located the following in the public domain:
 
[3]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/
 
[4]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
 
[5]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/i...
 
Further information regarding Simon Steven’s office can be sourced from
NHS England at the contact details provided above.
 
To clarify – once we have received the required clarification sought above
we will be in a position to progress your request.
 
Kind regards
 
Philip
 
Philip Humphreys
Freedom of Information Manager
 
T: 01246 514965
M: 07827083868
E: [6][email address]
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: LJoNes [[7]mailto:[FOI #494651 email]]
Sent: 03 July 2018 10:21
To: Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING
SUPPORT UNIT)
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a
complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and
others
 
Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS
COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),
 
Please note, the links supplied are to be used when a person is making a
complaint with regards to a service provider, whereas my complaint relates
to conduct of members of SWBCCG Board and senior management. Can you
please send me the correct information.   I notice that Arden and Gem CSU
are hosted by NHS England and support 70 CCG's, therefore I now send the
same FOI request to your company. Also from reviewing  a recent National
Guardians office presentation it confirms that CCG's are accountable to
NHS England the National Audit Office via a NHS England publication
confirm the same.  As Simon Stevens attended the conference where the
presentation was delivered can you or SWBCCG also supply full contact
details for his office.  It is recorded on the National Guardians website
that funding for their service is partially met by NHS England. Please
note: Paul Jennings, Accountable Officer (AO), CCG twitter feed refers to
being required to attend both national and regional NHS England AO
meetings.  In legislation, I am informed that it is NHS England who
recruit AO to CCG across the country monitoring their leadership
performance and it is only NHS England who have the authority to set up,
merge or dissolve a CCG. NHS staff I have corresponded with, thus far,
have all provided either misleading or conflicting information, therefore
I need to know the correct contact details.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
LJoNes
 
-----Original Message-----
 
Dear Sir or Madam
 
thank you for your request for information to SWBCCG.
 
To ensure I have correctly understood your request may I ask that you
confirm the information sought is the following:
 
"the named contact of the person to whom I can file a complaint along with
their job title, role and full contact address, including telephone number
and E-mail address."
 
May I also ask in line with section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act
and to protect your rights that you confirm your full name.
 
I have also located the following information published on the CCG's
website which I hope you find useful:
 
[8]https://sandwellandwestbhamccg.nhs.uk/cu...
 
[9]https://sandwellandwestbhamccg.nhs.uk/fr...
 
Once I am in receipt of your clarified request I will be in a position to
progress it.
 
kind regards
Philip
 
Philip Humphreys
Freedom of Information Manager
NHS Arden & GEM CSU
 
T: 01246 514965
M: 07827083868
E: [email address]
________________________________________
From: LJoNes <[FOI #494651 email]>
Sent: 28 June 2018 15:09
To: FOI requests at NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG
Subject: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a complaint
rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and others
 
Dear NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group,
 
Can you please confirm the process, the policy used and the named
officer/s who I file a complaint regarding 'Misconduct in Public Office'
where matters relate to, but are not limited to the following individuals:
 
Dr Nick Harding, Chair SWBCCG
Andy Williams, Accountable Officer, SWBCCG
James Green, Director of Finance,SWBCCG
Alice McGee (formerly Copage), Senior Organisational Development / HR
Manager, Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit / SWBCCG
Claire Parker, Chief Officer, Quality and Safety, SWBCCG
Paul Westwood, C W Audit Services
Julie Jasper, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Richard Nugent, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Olivia Amartey, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Carla Evans, Head of Primary Care, SWBCCG
Lisa Maxfield, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Sharon Liggins, Chief Officer, SWBCCG
 
Please note, I have been seeking this information since the early part of
2015. As, you know there has been a great deal of reluctance and
obfuscation from senior NHS managers in providing me with the correct
point of contact. To date, senior management have referred me to Andrew
Reed, NHS England who advised me that he was not the person who deals with
such matters. Following a further attempt to obtain a correct contact and
despite knowing the gravity of my complaint senior management again
referred me to NHS England on that occasion they only gave me the PO Box
of NHS England's call centre, who also advised that it was not NHS
England. Confusingly though, NHS Commissioners, NHS Improvement, NHS
National Guardians Office, Healthwatch, Walsall and Healthwatch, Sandwell,
Walsall CCG and others have also directed me to NHS England, where Sue
Doheny advised she would investigate matters then failed to maintain
contact to advise me of the outcome of her investigation, more recently I
have been directed to Alison Tonge, NHS England who is not responding to
her calls.
 
Therefore given both the incorrect information and the conflicting
information, I need to ask again for the named contact of the person to
whom I can file a complaint along with their job title, role and full
contact address, including telephone number and E-mail address.
 
Given that the above named have either been unhelpful or given false
responses in earlier requests for information via other processes,
including Freedom of Information requests and perjury has been apparent
and they are all implicated in my complaint, can you please ensure that my
Freedom of Information request is dealt with by another officers, one who
acts with honesty, transparency, integrity and is courageous in dealing
with abuses of power.
 
LJoNes
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #494651 email]
 
Is [NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG request email] the wrong address
for Freedom of Information requests to NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham
Clinical Commissioning Group? If so, please contact us using this form:
[10]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...
 
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[11]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
 
For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[12]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
 
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
 
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #494651 email]
 
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[13]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
 
For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[14]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
 
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
 
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 

********************************************************************************************************************

This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the
intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or
take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly
prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.

NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS
staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient
data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited
email services.

For more information and to find out how you can switch,
[15]https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/foi/
3. https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/
4. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
5. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/i...
6. mailto:[email address]
7. mailto:[FOI #494651 email]
8. https://sandwellandwestbhamccg.nhs.uk/cu...
9. https://sandwellandwestbhamccg.nhs.uk/fr...
10. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...
11. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
12. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
13. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
14. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
15. https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

hide quoted sections

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

The additional information you have supplied confirms that:
NHS England in partnership with CCGs, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and CQC has developed a complaints toolkit to assist commissioners, working in conjunction with their primary care providers, to ensure that: A) all complaints are well managed, B) the learning from complaints is identified and used for improvement, C) the complaints service is accessible, open and transparent. So far, in my experience the opposite has been proved to be true. Therefore, in addition to my earlier question asking who I file a complaint with in regards to conduct of the Chair, Accountable Officer, members of SWBCCG Board and a small group of senior managers, I also need to know who deals with SWBCCG staff who fail to adhere to A, B and C of NHS England's publication, Complaints Handling Gateway Reference 04177 as noted above. I require full contact details, to include, job title, role, location, full postal address and full e-mail address in order that A,B and C of the above list can be fulfilled.
Alison Tonge, is the current Director of Commissioning Operations for NHS England West Midlands (as of time of publication 20/06/18). Therefore, I would like to know her full contact details to ensure that A, B and C can be achieved.
Please note: Simon Stevens is not based at NHS England's Redditch Call Centre, but is based in an office with either 'Skipton' or 'Richmond' in the full postal address. A previous call the NHS England's call centre, it was confirmed that all correspondence addressed to either Simon Stevens or members of the Board are re-directed accordingly. Therefore could you please supply me with full contact details, of either Simon Stevens, his deputy and individual members of NHS England's Board to include, job title, role, location, full postal address and full e-mail address in order that A,B and C of the above list can be fulfilled.
LJones is a name. L denotes my Christian name and Jones is my families name.
Please note: the link you provided to an earlier FOI request does not give me access to Simon Stevens e-mail address. Further, as I have been advised that Commissioning Support Units and NHS England are not associated with one another can you please confirm why you have directed me to NHS England in regards to the FOI request I have submitted to Arden and Gem CSU. This is very, very confusing and is set to delay a response, which if I were asking the same of any other organisation/s or in line with NHS England's Complaints policy as noted above, should already be well managed, accessible, open and transparent, which this correspondence confirms that it is not, therefore B) can never be achieved - Please explain why NHS England's complaint policy, which you directed me to via a link is not already being followed, particularly as it came into force 30 November 2015.

Yours sincerely,

LJones

Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group

1 Attachment

Dear L Jones

thank for clarifying your name in line with section 8 of the FOI Act; I appreciate your assistance.

Please see attached a word document containing what I believe to be your FOI request to Sandwell & West Birmingham CCG - please confirm this is the information (in bold, i.e. the questions) you seek from the CCG. Once confirmed we can progress.

With regard to your comments re CSUs and NHS England - I fully agree that it can be confusing, and I have assisted you with as much information as I can. I can advise that you have been misinformed. CSUs are hosted by NHS England therefore, as I previously advised, any request for information held by Arden & GEM CSU should be directed to NHS England using the contact details I gave. I can confirm again that we do not hold any information regarding Simon Stevens and this should be able to be supplied to you by NHS England.

I also wish to reiterate that any information provided to you so far has not been in response to your request for information to the CCG however has been provided to assist you in formulating a request to the CCG.

kind regards
Philip

Philip Humphreys
FOI Manager
Arden & GEM CSU
________________________________________
From: LJoNes <[FOI #494651 email]>
Sent: 03 July 2018 16:56
To: Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT)
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and others

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

The additional information you have supplied confirms that:
NHS England in partnership with CCGs, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and CQC has developed a complaints toolkit to assist commissioners, working in conjunction with their primary care providers, to ensure that: A) all complaints are well managed, B) the learning from complaints is identified and used for improvement, C) the complaints service is accessible, open and transparent. So far, in my experience the opposite has been proved to be true. Therefore, in addition to my earlier question asking who I file a complaint with in regards to conduct of the Chair, Accountable Officer, members of SWBCCG Board and a small group of senior managers, I also need to know who deals with SWBCCG staff who fail to adhere to A, B and C of NHS England's publication, Complaints Handling Gateway Reference 04177 as noted above. I require full contact details, to include, job title, role, location, full postal address and full e-mail address in order that A,B and C of the above list can be fulfilled.
Alison Tonge, is the current Director of Commissioning Operations for NHS England West Midlands (as of time of publication 20/06/18). Therefore, I would like to know her full contact details to ensure that A, B and C can be achieved.
Please note: Simon Stevens is not based at NHS England's Redditch Call Centre, but is based in an office with either 'Skipton' or 'Richmond' in the full postal address. A previous call the NHS England's call centre, it was confirmed that all correspondence addressed to either Simon Stevens or members of the Board are re-directed accordingly. Therefore could you please supply me with full contact details, of either Simon Stevens, his deputy and individual members of NHS England's Board to include, job title, role, location, full postal address and full e-mail address in order that A,B and C of the above list can be fulfilled.
LJones is a name. L denotes my Christian name and Jones is my families name.
Please note: the link you provided to an earlier FOI request does not give me access to Simon Stevens e-mail address. Further, as I have been advised that Commissioning Support Units and NHS England are not associated with one another can you please confirm why you have directed me to NHS England in regards to the FOI request I have submitted to Arden and Gem CSU. This is very, very confusing and is set to delay a response, which if I were asking the same of any other organisation/s or in line with NHS England's Complaints policy as noted above, should already be well managed, accessible, open and transparent, which this correspondence confirms that it is not, therefore B) can never be achieved - Please explain why NHS England's complaint policy, which you directed me to via a link is not already being followed, particularly as it came into force 30 November 2015.

Yours sincerely,

LJones

-----Original Message-----

Good afternoon Sir or Madam

Thank you for your email.

Please note that my email was not the response to your request for
information. My email was asking you to clarify the following two points:

* Is your request seeking "the named contact of the person to whom I can
file a complaint along with their job title, role and full contact
address, including telephone number and E-mail address."
* May I also ask in line with section 8 of the Freedom of Information
Act and to protect your rights that you confirm your full name. (It is
unclear if LJoNes is a name).

The links provided to information published by SWBCCG regarding making a
compliant were provided as further assistance only and again not in
response to your request for information for which we require the above
clarification. Once clarified I will be in a position to progress your
request.

Additionally please note that should you wish to make a request for
information held by NHS Arden & GEM CSU this would be via NHS England at
the following email address [1][email address] See NHS England’s
website for further information
[2]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/foi/

I note you ask for contact details for NHS England/Simon Stevens –
preliminary searches have located the following in the public domain:

[3]https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/

[4]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

[5]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/i...

Further information regarding Simon Steven’s office can be sourced from
NHS England at the contact details provided above.

To clarify – once we have received the required clarification sought above
we will be in a position to progress your request.

Kind regards

Philip

Philip Humphreys
Freedom of Information Manager

T: 01246 514965
M: 07827083868
E: [6][email address]

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #494651 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

********************************************************************************************************************

This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.

NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited email services.

For more information and to find out how you can switch, https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

hide quoted sections

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT

Dear Phillip

I have supplied all the information you require, in that I have clearly communicated to you the information I require of SWBCCG in order to file a complaint.

Can you please ensure that this matter is attended to without any further delay and procrastination on SWBCCG or your part, especially as I informed you that I have already been seeking this information for a considerable amount of time and further my concerns involve fraud and bullying and harassment, amongst other matters. This information is of grave importance to not only me but other staff, patients and general public using NHS services and has been highly distressing for me.

Please note: NHS England states that there is 'no wrong door by which an NHS Whistleblower can contact them for help' , therefore I would like to know the 'doors' NHS England Board refer to, by receiving a physical name of a person to whom I can file a complaint.

Please note: SWBCCG have informed the courts, NHS Protect and the press that it was a Whisrtleblower who informed them that Dr Ian Walton (SWBCCG Governing Body member, Sandwell GP, Clinical Lead, Mental Health practitioner/trainer and this partner Ms Lisa Hill, Senior Commissioning Manager stole £153,000 from SWBCCG but in a FOI request SWBCCG advised that no one had whistleblown on SWBCCG failures to provide safe, financial and sound governance systems, which the judge in sentencing the aforementioned, referred to as one reason why Dr Walton and Ms Hill were able to steal such a large amount of public money from their employer and Board. SWBCCG is aware of at least three or more separate incidents of 'whistleblowing', which involved in one case a staff member signing a non disclose confidentiality agreement forbidding the staff member to disclose the extent of the problems, another reporting the theft of £153,000 and another being dismissed for expressing concerns, therefore why did they state in a FOI request that on one had 'whistleblown'.

I trust that no further delays will be necessary, especially as I have now clarified my request for information to you on more than one occasion.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes

Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group

2 Attachments

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

 

FOI Reference: 18354

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

I acknowledge receipt of your FOI request as documented in the attached
file on behalf of NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG, which we received
on 14 July 2018.

 

A response to your request will be sent within 20 working days after
receipt, the date 10 Aug 2018.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Lindsay Parker

 

FOI team Arden & GEM CSU

Engagement, Communications and Marketing

 

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit

Scarsdale, Nightingale Close, Newbold Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41
7PF

 

T: 01246 514965 & 01246 514048

E: [1][email address]

W: [2]www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk

 

 

[3]Description: cid:image004.jpg@01D03175.7654D4B0

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: LJoNes [mailto:[FOI #494651 email]]
Sent: 14 July 2018 21:27
To: Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING
SUPPORT UNIT)
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a
complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and
others

 

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS
COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT

 

Dear Phillip

 

I have supplied all the information you require, in that I have clearly
communicated  to you the information I require of SWBCCG in order to file
a complaint.

 

Can you please ensure that this matter is attended to without any further
delay and procrastination on SWBCCG or your part, especially as I informed
you that I have already been seeking this information for a considerable
amount of time and further my concerns involve fraud and bullying and
harassment, amongst other matters.  This information is of grave
importance to not only me but other staff, patients and general public
using NHS services and has been highly distressing for me.

 

Please note: NHS England states that there is 'no wrong door by which an
NHS Whistleblower can contact them for help' , therefore I would like to
know the 'doors' NHS England Board refer to, by receiving a physical name
of a person to whom I can file a complaint.

 

Please note: SWBCCG have informed the courts, NHS Protect and the press
that it was a Whisrtleblower who informed them that Dr Ian Walton (SWBCCG
Governing Body member, Sandwell GP, Clinical Lead, Mental Health
practitioner/trainer  and this partner Ms Lisa Hill, Senior Commissioning
Manager stole £153,000 from SWBCCG but in a FOI request SWBCCG advised
that no one had whistleblown on SWBCCG failures to provide safe, financial
and sound  governance systems, which the judge in sentencing the
aforementioned, referred to as one reason why Dr Walton and  Ms Hill were
able to steal such a large amount of public money from their employer and
Board.  SWBCCG is aware of at least three or more separate incidents of
'whistleblowing', which involved in one case a staff member signing a non
disclose confidentiality  agreement forbidding the staff member to
disclose the extent of the problems, another reporting the theft of
£153,000 and another being dismissed for expressing concerns, therefore
why did they state in a FOI request that on one had 'whistleblown'.

 

I trust that no further delays will be necessary, especially as I have now
clarified my request for information to you on more than one occasion.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

LJoNes

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Dear L Jones

 

thank for clarifying your name in line with section 8 of the FOI Act; I
appreciate your assistance.

 

Please see attached a word document containing what I believe to be your
FOI request to Sandwell & West Birmingham CCG - please confirm this is the
information (in bold, i.e. the questions) you seek from the CCG. Once
confirmed we can progress.

 

With regard to your comments re CSUs and NHS England - I fully agree that
it can be confusing, and I have assisted you with as much information as I
can. I can advise that you have been misinformed. CSUs are hosted by NHS
England therefore, as I previously advised, any request for information
held by Arden & GEM CSU should be directed to NHS England using the
contact details I gave. I can confirm again that we do not hold any
information regarding Simon Stevens and this should be able to be supplied
to you by NHS England.

 

I also wish to reiterate that any information provided to you so far has
not been in response to your request for information to the CCG however
has been provided to assist you in formulating a request to the CCG.

 

kind regards

Philip

 

Philip Humphreys

FOI Manager

Arden & GEM CSU

________________________________________

From: LJoNes <[FOI #494651 email]>

Sent: 03 July 2018 16:56

To: Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING
SUPPORT UNIT)

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a
complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and
others

 

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS
COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

 

The additional information you have supplied confirms that:

NHS England in partnership with CCGs, the Parliamentary and Health Service
Ombudsman (PHSO) and CQC has developed a complaints toolkit to assist
commissioners, working in conjunction with their primary care providers,
to ensure that: A) all complaints are well managed, B) the learning from
complaints is identified and used for improvement, C) the complaints
service is accessible, open and transparent. So far, in my experience the
opposite has been proved to be true. Therefore, in addition to my earlier
question asking who I file a complaint with in regards to conduct of the
Chair, Accountable Officer, members of SWBCCG Board and a small group of
senior managers, I also need to know who deals with SWBCCG staff who fail
to adhere to A, B and C of NHS England's publication, Complaints Handling
Gateway Reference 04177 as noted above. I require full contact details, to
include, job title, role, location, full postal address and full e-mail
address in order that A,B and C of the above list can be fulfilled.

Alison Tonge, is the current Director of Commissioning Operations for NHS
England West Midlands (as of time of publication 20/06/18). Therefore, I
would like to know her full contact details to ensure that A, B and C can
be achieved.

Please note: Simon Stevens is not based at NHS England's Redditch Call
Centre, but is based in an office with either 'Skipton' or 'Richmond' in
the full postal address. A previous call the NHS England's call centre, it
was confirmed that all correspondence addressed to either Simon Stevens or
members of the Board are re-directed accordingly. Therefore could you
please supply me with full contact details, of either Simon Stevens, his
deputy and individual members of NHS England's Board to include, job
title, role, location, full postal address and full e-mail address in
order that A,B and C of the above list can be fulfilled.

LJones is a name. L denotes my Christian name and Jones is my families
name.

Please note: the link you provided to an earlier FOI request does not give
me access to Simon Stevens e-mail address. Further, as I have been advised
that Commissioning Support Units and NHS England are not associated with
one another can you please confirm why you have directed me to NHS England
in regards to the FOI request I have submitted to Arden and Gem CSU. This
is very, very confusing and is set to delay a response, which if I were
asking the same of any other organisation/s or in line with NHS England's
Complaints policy as noted above, should already be well managed,
accessible, open and transparent, which this correspondence confirms that
it is not, therefore B) can never be achieved - Please explain why NHS
England's complaint policy, which you directed me to via a link is not
already being followed, particularly as it came into force 30 November
2015.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

LJones

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[FOI #494651 email]

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

 

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

 

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

 

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

********************************************************************************************************************

This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the
intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or
take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly
prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.

NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS
staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient
data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited
email services.

For more information and to find out how you can switch,
https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk/

hide quoted sections

Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group

1 Attachment

Dear requestor

Please find attached letter from NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG.in response to your FOI enquiry dated 28 June 2018.

Many thanks.

Debbie Parker
Corporate Communications Manager

T: 01332 868732
M: 07795455129
E: [email address]

-----Original Message-----
From: LJoNes [mailto:[FOI #494651 email]]
Sent: 28 June 2018 15:10
To: FOI requests at NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG
Subject: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and others

Dear NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group,

Can you please confirm the process, the policy used and the named officer/s who I file a complaint regarding 'Misconduct in Public Office' where matters relate to, but are not limited to the following individuals:

Dr Nick Harding, Chair SWBCCG
Andy Williams, Accountable Officer, SWBCCG
James Green, Director of Finance,SWBCCG
Alice McGee (formerly Copage), Senior Organisational Development / HR Manager, Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit / SWBCCG
Claire Parker, Chief Officer, Quality and Safety, SWBCCG
Paul Westwood, C W Audit Services
Julie Jasper, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Richard Nugent, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Olivia Amartey, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Carla Evans, Head of Primary Care, SWBCCG
Lisa Maxfield, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Sharon Liggins, Chief Officer, SWBCCG

Please note, I have been seeking this information since the early part of 2015. As, you know there has been a great deal of reluctance and obfuscation from senior NHS managers in providing me with the correct point of contact. To date, senior management have referred me to Andrew Reed, NHS England who advised me that he was not the person who deals with such matters. Following a further attempt to obtain a correct contact and despite knowing the gravity of my complaint senior management again referred me to NHS England on that occasion they only gave me the PO Box of NHS England's call centre, who also advised that it was not NHS England. Confusingly though, NHS Commissioners, NHS Improvement, NHS National Guardians Office, Healthwatch, Walsall and Healthwatch, Sandwell, Walsall CCG and others have also directed me to NHS England, where Sue Doheny advised she would investigate matters then failed to maintain contact to advise me of the outcome of her investigation, more recently I have been directed to Alison Tonge, NHS England who is not responding to her calls.

Therefore given both the incorrect information and the conflicting information, I need to ask again for the named contact of the person to whom I can file a complaint along with their job title, role and full contact address, including telephone number and E-mail address.

Given that the above named have either been unhelpful or given false responses in earlier requests for information via other processes, including Freedom of Information requests and perjury has been apparent and they are all implicated in my complaint, can you please ensure that my Freedom of Information request is dealt with by another officers, one who acts with honesty, transparency, integrity and is courageous in dealing with abuses of power.

LJoNes

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #494651 email]

Is [email address] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

________________________________

This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Any views or opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent the views of the Trust unless explicitly stated.

The information contained in this email may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt from disclosure, the confidentiality of this email and your reply cannot be guaranteed.

________________________________

********************************************************************************************************************

This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.

NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited email services.

For more information and to find out how you can switch, https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

hide quoted sections

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

Thank you for your reply, which is welcomed, more so as this is the third occasion that SWBCCG has referred me to NHS England given the gravity of my complaint, in conclusion whose the response overall is inadequate for the following reasons.

SWBCCG is a members organisation, and it is the members who vote the chair into their post. Therefore, I would have expected to have been sent a list of all members, to enable me to raise my concerns directly - Please send this information to me without further delay.

Ordinary staff are line managed therefore, I would have expected you to supply me with the individual details of the respective persons manager, so as to enable me to raise a complaint directly - Please send this information to me without further delay.

SWBCCG is patient centred, having a body of patients representatives, therefore I would have expected you to send me a list of all serving patient representatives to enable me to raise my complaint directly - Please send this information to me without further delay.

SWBCCG have a number of non-executive officers / Lay Members / Independent committee members, therefore I would have expected you to have sent me their contact details to enable me to inform them of problems - Please send this information to me without further delay.

It is the Director Commissioning Operations (DCO, NHS England), formerly Andrew Reed, Sue Doheny (Acting) and currently Alison Tonge (subject to current reorganisations, as Ms Tonge is not listed on NHS England's telephone directory) who are employed to hold CCG's to account, the DCO nominates CCG Accountable Officers job applications, which need to be progressed to Regional Director Level (currently Dr Paul Watson - again, subject to current restructure, as I have not been able to speak with him either), and before an appointment can go ahead Simon Stevens, CEO, NHS England approval first needs to be sought in line with Health and Social Care Act. As I understand it the same is true in reverse and it is only NHS England who have the authority to set up a CCG, merge or dissolve a CCG, most of CCG work is directed through NHS England and it is NHS England through a body of Area Teams who access CCG's and their leaderships 'fitness to practice' - Please send this information to me without further delay, more so as Paul Jennings, Accountable Officer, Birmingham and Solihull regularly 'blogs' about having to attend both 'Regional and National' meetings, which are not held by inanimate objects, but by appointed Directors put in post to hold CCG's to account.

One final point, due to the delay in responding to this FOI request, SWBCCG have breached FOI legislation which sets a MAXIMUM period for reply at 20 days. Given that SWBCCG is supported in this work by a Commissioning Support Unit (CSU), who I note, responded the same day, then the delay is wholly inadequate and totally SWBCCG, more so as I notice that neighbouring CCG without the support of a CSU reply on average in less than seven days and publish all FOI requests. Also, by not notifying me of the delay and not supplying a full and final response SWBCCG have also acted in an unprofessional manner and shown little courtesy to me and other users of this site, demonstrating poor governance and poor standards.

I await the information requested without further timewasting.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

Please note, I should have added in my last communication that SWBCCG also have a Governing Body, which like others groups mentioned are in place to hold themselves and senior managers to account, ensuring that public money and the service they provide is efficient, effective and economical, safety and well-being of patients, staff, contractors and users being paramount in all things, alongside this sits sound financial management of public money. SWBCCG have failed in all respects.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes

Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

FOI Reference: 18612

Dear Sir/Madam

I acknowledge receipt of your FOI request on behalf of NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG, which we received on 29/8/2018 and apologise for the delay in acknoweldging your request.

A response to your request will be sent within 20 working days after receipt, the date 26/9/2018

Yours faithfully

Lindsay Parker
Freedom of Information Officer
Engagement, Communications and Marketing

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
Scarsdale, Nightingale Close, Newbold Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7PF

T: 01246 514965
E: [email address]
W: www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: LJoNes [mailto:[FOI #494651 email]]
Sent: 29 August 2018 11:50
To: Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT)
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and others

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

Thank you for your reply, which is welcomed, more so as this is the third occasion that SWBCCG has referred me to NHS England given the gravity of my complaint, in conclusion whose the response overall is inadequate for the following reasons.

SWBCCG is a members organisation, and it is the members who vote the chair into their post. Therefore, I would have expected to have been sent a list of all members, to enable me to raise my concerns directly - Please send this information to me without further delay.

Ordinary staff are line managed therefore, I would have expected you to supply me with the individual details of the respective persons manager, so as to enable me to raise a complaint directly - Please send this information to me without further delay.

SWBCCG is patient centred, having a body of patients representatives, therefore I would have expected you to send me a list of all serving patient representatives to enable me to raise my complaint directly - Please send this information to me without further delay.

SWBCCG have a number of non-executive officers / Lay Members / Independent committee members, therefore I would have expected you to have sent me their contact details to enable me to inform them of problems - Please send this information to me without further delay.

It is the Director Commissioning Operations (DCO, NHS England), formerly Andrew Reed, Sue Doheny (Acting) and currently Alison Tonge (subject to current reorganisations, as Ms Tonge is not listed on NHS England's telephone directory) who are employed to hold CCG's to account, the DCO nominates CCG Accountable Officers job applications, which need to be progressed to Regional Director Level (currently Dr Paul Watson - again, subject to current restructure, as I have not been able to speak with him either), and before an appointment can go ahead Simon Stevens, CEO, NHS England approval first needs to be sought in line with Health and Social Care Act. As I understand it the same is true in reverse and it is only NHS England who have the authority to set up a CCG, merge or dissolve a CCG, most of CCG work is directed through NHS England and it is NHS England through a body of Area Teams who access CCG's and their leaderships 'fitness to practice' - Please send this information to me without further delay, more so as Paul Jennings, Accountable Officer, Birmingham and Solihull regularly 'blogs' about having to attend both 'Regional and National' meetings, which are not held by inanimate objects, but by appointed Directors put in post to hold CCG's to account.

One final point, due to the delay in responding to this FOI request, SWBCCG have breached FOI legislation which sets a MAXIMUM period for reply at 20 days. Given that SWBCCG is supported in this work by a Commissioning Support Unit (CSU), who I note, responded the same day, then the delay is wholly inadequate and totally SWBCCG, more so as I notice that neighbouring CCG without the support of a CSU reply on average in less than seven days and publish all FOI requests. Also, by not notifying me of the delay and not supplying a full and final response SWBCCG have also acted in an unprofessional manner and shown little courtesy to me and other users of this site, demonstrating poor governance and poor standards.

I await the information requested without further timewasting.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes

-----Original Message-----

Dear requestor

Please find attached letter from NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG.in response to your FOI enquiry dated 28 June 2018.

Many thanks.

Debbie Parker
Corporate Communications Manager

T: 01332 868732
M: 07795455129
E: [email address]

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #494651 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

********************************************************************************************************************

This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.

NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited email services.

For more information and to find out how you can switch, https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

hide quoted sections

Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group

1 Attachment

Dear requestor
Please find attached letter in response to your request dated 29 August 2018 on behalf of Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG.

Kind regards

FOI team
Engagement, Communications and Marketing

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
Scarsdale, Nightingale Close, Newbold Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7PF

Email: [NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG request email]
Website: www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: LJoNes [mailto:[FOI #494651 email]]
Sent: 29 August 2018 11:58
To: Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT)
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - To Whom do I file a complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and others

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

Please note, I should have added in my last communication that SWBCCG also have a Governing Body, which like others groups mentioned are in place to hold themselves and senior managers to account, ensuring that public money and the service they provide is efficient, effective and economical, safety and well-being of patients, staff, contractors and users being paramount in all things, alongside this sits sound financial management of public money. SWBCCG have failed in all respects.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes

********************************************************************************************************************

This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.

NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited email services.

For more information and to find out how you can switch, https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

hide quoted sections

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

Thank you for informing me that the person who Gem and Arden Commissioning Support Unit has corresponded with from Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group(SWBCCG) in regards to this FOI is Alice McGee (formerly Copage). This is highly inappropriate, as you will have noticed there has been a:

1) FAILURE OF GOVERNANCE / SEGREGATION OF DUTIES: Ms McGee / Copage was amongst the list of staff I wish to report, but you have informed me that she is the lady who has refused to answer my FOI request.
2 )FAILURE OF GOVERNANCE: As Ms McGee/Copage is not listed as SWBCCG - FOI officer in any Conflict of Interest Registers produced by SWBCCG nor has she been listed as SWBCCG - FOI Officer in a recent organisational staff structure document. Further, upon reviewing SWBCCG monthly board meeting papers and various reports, I can see that Ms McGee/Copage has never held the position of FOI officer.

In light of the above, I would like my FOI to be forwarded to a trained FOI officer who holds responsibility for responding to legitimate requests, such as mine. If, the name of the FOI Officer is listed as a person I wish to cite in my complaint, then I would like you to forward to a person who is independent.

As you will know a member of NHS staff cannot investigate or dismiss a complaint in which they have been implicated.

Further, as I am now informed that Commissioning Support Staff are employed by NHS Business Services Authority, who provide their staff to a host organisation, in this case Gem and Arden Commissioning Support Unit as is the case with other Commissioning Support Units, i.e. Midland and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, who's staff are all collectively managed by NHS England(NHSE). Can you please confirm the name of the person within NHSE who oversees FOI requests, especially in light of Simon Stevens comments to the Parliament - Health Select Committee in which he assured members that the FOI process had improved. I see no evidence of such an improvement when a staff member is allowed to deal with a complaint made against them and others.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes

Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group

2 Attachments

Dear requestor

Please find attached file in response to your recent email on behalf of NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG. I have also attached a copy of the previous response sent out to you dated 25 September 2018 in relation to this matter.

Regards

FOI team
Engagement, Communications and Marketing

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
Scarsdale, Nightingale Close, Newbold Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7PF

W: www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: LJoNes [mailto:[FOI #494651 email]]
Sent: 09 October 2019 16:34
To: Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT)
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request 18612 - To Whom do I file a complaint rekating to misconduct of the chair, accountable officer, and others

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

Thank you for informing me that the person who Gem and Arden Commissioning Support Unit has corresponded with from Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group(SWBCCG) in regards to this FOI is Alice McGee (formerly Copage). This is highly inappropriate, as you will have noticed there has been a:

1) FAILURE OF GOVERNANCE / SEGREGATION OF DUTIES: Ms McGee / Copage was amongst the list of staff I wish to report, but you have informed me that she is the lady who has refused to answer my FOI request.
2 )FAILURE OF GOVERNANCE: As Ms McGee/Copage is not listed as SWBCCG - FOI officer in any Conflict of Interest Registers produced by SWBCCG nor has she been listed as SWBCCG - FOI Officer in a recent organisational staff structure document. Further, upon reviewing SWBCCG monthly board meeting papers and various reports, I can see that Ms McGee/Copage has never held the position of FOI officer.

In light of the above, I would like my FOI to be forwarded to a trained FOI officer who holds responsibility for responding to legitimate requests, such as mine. If, the name of the FOI Officer is listed as a person I wish to cite in my complaint, then I would like you to forward to a person who is independent.

As you will know a member of NHS staff cannot investigate or dismiss a complaint in which they have been implicated.

Further, as I am now informed that Commissioning Support Staff are employed by NHS Business Services Authority, who provide their staff to a host organisation, in this case Gem and Arden Commissioning Support Unit as is the case with other Commissioning Support Units, i.e. Midland and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, who's staff are all collectively managed by NHS England(NHSE). Can you please confirm the name of the person within NHSE who oversees FOI requests, especially in light of Simon Stevens comments to the Parliament - Health Select Committee in which he assured members that the FOI process had improved. I see no evidence of such an improvement when a staff member is allowed to deal with a complaint made against them and others.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes

-----Original Message-----

Dear requestor
Please find attached letter in response to your request dated 29 August 2018 on behalf of Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG.

Kind regards

FOI team
Engagement, Communications and Marketing

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
Scarsdale, Nightingale Close, Newbold Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7PF

Email: [NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG request email]
Website: www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #494651 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

********************************************************************************************************************

This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the
sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it.
Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in relation to its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation.

NHSmail is the secure email and directory service available for all NHS staff in England and Scotland. NHSmail is approved for exchanging patient data and other sensitive information with NHSmail and other accredited email services.

For more information and to find out how you can switch, https://portal.nhs.net/help/joiningnhsmail

hide quoted sections

Dear Foi-Birmingham-Ccgs (NHS ARDEN AND GREATER EAST MIDLANDS COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT),

Thankyou for your response, which yet again does not answer the most simplest of requests for information, which in part is contained with the title of my request. I asked:

Can you please confirm the process, the policy used and the named officer/s who I file a complaint regarding 'Misconduct in Public Office' where matters relate to, but are not limited to the following individuals:

Dr Nick Harding, Chair SWBCCG
Andy Williams, Accountable Officer, SWBCCG
James Green, Director of Finance,SWBCCG
Alice McGee (formerly Copage), Senior Organisational Development / HR Manager, Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit / SWBCCG
Claire Parker, Chief Officer, Quality and Safety, SWBCCG
Paul Westwood, C W Audit Services
Julie Jasper, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Richard Nugent, Governing Body, SWBCCG
Olivia Amartey, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Carla Evans, Head of Primary Care, SWBCCG
Lisa Maxfield, Deputy Chief Officer, SWBCCG
Sharon Liggins, Chief Officer, SWBCCG

I need to ask again for the named contact of the person to whom I can file a complaint along with their job title, role and full contact address, including telephone number and E-mail address.

The additional information you have supplied confirms that:
NHS England in partnership with CCGs, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and CQC has developed a complaints toolkit to assist commissioners, working in conjunction with their primary care providers, to ensure that: A) all complaints are well managed, B) the learning from complaints is identified and used for improvement, C) the complaints service is accessible, open and transparent. So far, in my experience the opposite has been proved to be true.

I also need to know who deals with SWBCCG staff who fail to adhere to A, B and C of NHS England's publication, Complaints Handling Gateway Reference 04177 as noted above. I require full contact details, to include, job title, role, location, full postal address and full e-mail address in order that A,B and C of the above list can be fulfilled.
Alison Tonge, is the current Director of Commissioning Operations for NHS England West Midlands (as of time of publication 20/06/18). Therefore, I would like to know her full contact details to ensure that A, B and C can be achieved.

You have failed to meet my request due to the following failures:
FAILURE 1: you have failed to advise of the process a complainant is required to follow when filling a complaint of the gravity described in my request.
FAILURE 2: you have failed to send me a copy of the policy a complainant is required to follow when wishing to file a complaint of such gravity, which includes, harm, distress and fraud.
FAIURE 3: you have failed to supply the named officer/s who I file a complaint regarding 'Misconduct in Public Office'.

I rightly conclude that this request is not a repeated request as the requested information has not yet been supplied to me nor is it a vexatious request, as it does not meet the test in law for vexatious complaints. also, as you know there is not statute timeline in law when a complaint of fraud can be registered.

As you know, NHS Counter Fraud Authority has recently with the BBC participated in a series of programmes aired on BBC daytime TV, evening TV and repeated on I-player, in which they have featured the fraud which was carried out in SWBCCG by Governing Body member (Local GP and Mental Health practitioner) and a Senior Commissioning Manager who both concluded to steal £153k both receiving suspended sentences (no mention of this on SWBCCG website, although they do provide examples of fraud in NHS). What's interesting is the Judge Paul Farrar, QC the presiding judge concluded that SWBCC lack of financial controls and poor governance enabled the thefts to take place. The case was chosen for the programme due to public interest. What's even more interesting is that following the thefts is that SWBCCG self assessed themselves to NHSE as an outstanding organisation and duly awarded themselves high increases in salary, by 2013 Andy Williams appeared on NHS Managers 'Rich List' showing that as a senior NHS admin manager his earning of £150k, managing a CCG with 32 members of staff was greater that of many NHS Hospital Managers with staffing in excess of 5000 people. His earnings were also greater than qualified GP's who earnings in 2018 the Government confirmed as £55 - £85k. The Chairs fee increased by £30k at time of thefts. Prior to the thefts the Chair and the thieving GP were directors in same business for 5 years, which he failed to disclose on any conflict of interest register. one of his many failures.

Ms McGee has already set a precedent in informing me in 2015 that I needed to raise a complaint with a named NHS officer - Andrew Reed, Director of Commissioning Operations, NHS Midlands and East who stated that Ms McGee had directed me to the wrong person. The onus therefore has always been on SWBCCG and its contractor MLCSU to confirm the name of the correct NHS officer who will accept my complaint. I can see from having read information on Redditch CCG website that all CCG's have to undergo an annual assessment (by law)and the process necessitates Accountable officers, the Chair and Governing Body meeting with NHSE senior officers 4 times a year. AS you know the assessment involves Governances, i.e. does the CCG have policies, procedures in place, financial controls to prevent fraud/theft, the assessment also requires CCG to disclose Culture, Leadership, Bullying, Whistleblowing amongst other domains. Redditch CCG on their website shows the interexchange of letters between CCG senior officers and NHSE, therefore I rightly conclude that SWBCCG know the name of the officer/s they have met during those assessment meetings, especially as the annual assessments commenced in 2012 and as required by law have been carried out every year since. Leicester CCG confirms that they have 'Duty of Care' to their employees and also contractors, which is consistent with Health and Safety Law. Black Country Mental Health Trust by their actions as an employer confirm and acknowledge their responsibilities in safeguarding their staff from bullying and Harassment, Stress and Harm. In light of SWBCCG and MLCSU saying they do not have a Duty of Care towards anyone shows they would fail any assessment. not supplying policies or informing me the process for raising a complaint, failing to inform me of the name of the NHSE officer all constitute failures on the part of SWBCCG and the contractor supplying Commissioning Support services.

I await the information I have been requesting/ To summarise:
1) the process I am required to follow to exact a complaint to the 'correct' Executive officer, non Executive Director, Governing Body member, member practice, person with responsibility for Complaints, correct NHS organisation.
2) to receive a copy of the policy I am required to follow in order to exact a complaint to the 'correct' Executive officer, non Executive Director, Governing Body member, member practice, person with responsibility for Complaints, correct NHS organisation.
3)the 'correct' name/d person/s to whom I am required to file my complaint. i.e. Executive officer, non Executive Director, Governing Body member, member practice, person with responsibility for Complaints, correct NHS organisation.

Yours sincerely,

LJoNes