Antivirals and therapeutics task force - Evusheld
Dear Department of Health and Social Care,
DHSC Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce – or if renamed its successor
Please provide:
1. Date of all meetings of this taskforce from 1 October 2021 onwards, including future scheduled meetings;
2. Details of the membership of this taskforce from 1 October 2021 onwards, detailing who has left/been replaced and by whom. Their roles and functions;
3. A structure chart setting out the bodies involved in the COVID 19 medical approval process from 1 October 2021 onwards; and
4. Copies of all agenda items, papers submitted and minutes of meetings which relate to Evusheld.
Yours faithfully,
Louise Bicknell
This is an acknowledgement - please do not reply to this email.
Thank you for contacting the Department of Health and Social Care.
If your enquiry is in relation to the pandemic, the Government has
launched a COVID-19 ‘hub’, which can be found
at [1]www.gov.uk/coronavirus and is regularly updated.
The answers to many other questions can be found on [2]GOV.UK,
the [3]Department of Health and Social Care website or by visiting
the [4]NHS website. We may not respond to you if the answer to your
enquiry can be found on either of these websites. Where a reply is
appropriate, we aim to send a response within 20 working days.
Please note that the department cannot arrange vaccinations. [5]This
webpage gives information on vaccination. You can also contact your GP,
clinical commissioning group or call 119.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you must get tested as soon as possible.
The swab test takes less than a minute and is pain-free. Results from test
sites are generally received within 24 hours of the test being
administered. Further information, including what symptoms to look out
for, can be found [6]here.
If your business is interested in helping the Government increase
COVID-19 testing capacity, please visit [7]this webpage. Please note that
the service that was set up for businesses to offer other COVID-19 support
has closed. If you have a product to sell to the NHS, please visit
[8]https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/.
Since 15 February 2021, anyone travelling to the UK from a red-list
country has been required to quarantine in a managed quarantine facility
for a period of ten days. There will be periods where no countries are
listed, but the red list remains ready to be stood up should the global
epidemiological situation change. In these circumstances, there is
guidance available on a range of queries.
To find out how to apply for a medical or compassionate exemption, please
visit
[9]www.gov.uk/guidance/exemptions-from-managed-quarantine-for-compassionate-reasons.
If you have been in quarantine and have a complaint about the hotel,
please raise your concerns with the hotel itself in the first instance. If
your complaint is unresolved, please email the complaints team at
[10][email address].
If you are writing in connection with an NHS or social care service please
note that the department does not manage health and social services
directly, nor does it process complaints. It also cannot give clinical
advice or intervene in matters concerning patient care or social services.
If you wish to make a complaint about a healthcare professional, an NHS
organisation or a social care provider, please visit [11]this link.
If you would like to raise your concerns about a COVID-19 testing
provider, or have any other NHS Test and Trace enquiries, you can
contact [12]NHS Test and Trace enquiries, feedback and complaints.
Our [13]Personal information charter and [14]privacy notice explain how we
treat your personal information.
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
2. https://www.gov.uk/
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
4. https://www.nhs.uk/
5. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
6. https://www.gov.uk/getting-tested-for-co...
7. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-the-gov...
8. https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/
9. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
10. mailto:[email address]
11. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-t...
12. https://enquiries.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/...
13. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
14. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
Dear Ms Bicknell,
Please find attached the Department of Health and Social Care's response
to your recent FOI request (our ref: FOI-1412406, clarification).
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
Dear Department of Health and Social Care,
Reference FOI-1412406
Thank you for your response naming two NHS decision making Boards (the Antivirals and Therapeutics Strategy Board and the Antivirals and Therapeutics Programme Board) that neither Lord Kamall nor Maggie Throup name as responsible in their parliamentary answers.
If these are indeed the correct bodies please continue with my request for each of them, but please answer question 3 clearly with all bodies involved in the process (policy or otherwise).
I am happy to submit separate FOI requests in respect of each should you consider that necessary
Yours faithfully,
Louise Bicknell
This is an acknowledgement - please do not reply to this email.
Thank you for contacting the Department of Health and Social Care.
If your enquiry is in relation to the pandemic, the Government has
launched a COVID-19 ‘hub’, which can be found
at [1]www.gov.uk/coronavirus and is regularly updated.
The answers to many other questions can be found on [2]GOV.UK,
the [3]Department of Health and Social Care website or by visiting
the [4]NHS website. We may not respond to you if the answer to your
enquiry can be found on either of these websites. Where a reply is
appropriate, we aim to send a response within 20 working days.
Please note that the department cannot arrange vaccinations. [5]This
webpage gives information on vaccination. You can also contact your GP,
clinical commissioning group or call 119.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you must get tested as soon as possible.
The swab test takes less than a minute and is pain-free. Results from test
sites are generally received within 24 hours of the test being
administered. Further information, including what symptoms to look out
for, can be found [6]here.
If your business is interested in helping the Government increase
COVID-19 testing capacity, please visit [7]this webpage. Please note that
the service that was set up for businesses to offer other COVID-19 support
has closed. If you have a product to sell to the NHS, please visit
[8]https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/.
Since 15 February 2021, anyone travelling to the UK from a red-list
country has been required to quarantine in a managed quarantine facility
for a period of ten days. There will be periods where no countries are
listed, but the red list remains ready to be stood up should the global
epidemiological situation change. In these circumstances, there is
guidance available on a range of queries.
To find out how to apply for a medical or compassionate exemption, please
visit
[9]www.gov.uk/guidance/exemptions-from-managed-quarantine-for-compassionate-reasons.
If you have been in quarantine and have a complaint about the hotel,
please raise your concerns with the hotel itself in the first instance. If
your complaint is unresolved, please email the complaints team at
[10][email address].
If you are writing in connection with an NHS or social care service please
note that the department does not manage health and social services
directly, nor does it process complaints. It also cannot give clinical
advice or intervene in matters concerning patient care or social services.
If you wish to make a complaint about a healthcare professional, an NHS
organisation or a social care provider, please visit [11]this link.
If you would like to raise your concerns about a COVID-19 testing
provider, or have any other NHS Test and Trace enquiries, you can
contact [12]NHS Test and Trace enquiries, feedback and complaints.
Our [13]Personal information charter and [14]privacy notice explain how we
treat your personal information.
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
2. https://www.gov.uk/
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
4. https://www.nhs.uk/
5. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
6. https://www.gov.uk/getting-tested-for-co...
7. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-the-gov...
8. https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/
9. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
10. mailto:[email address]
11. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-t...
12. https://enquiries.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/...
13. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
14. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
Dear Ms Bicknell,
Please find attached the Department of Health and Social Care's response
to your recent FOI request (our ref: FOI-1414071).
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
Dear Department of Health and Social Care,
Thank you for your clarification request
In respect of a structure chart I would expect to see the bodies/committees/policy teams/units/task forces etc that would contribute to, make recommendations on (policy or otherwise), and be involved in the process of a COVID treatments journey through the NHS review process, including those who receive the final papers and make the decision whether to go ahead and purchase it for the NHS. I would also expect to see the details of which body provides the secretarial support (agenda preparation, minutes etc) for each stage of the process.
Therefore I would expect there to be a flow diagram with a written explanatory process. I anticipate that things have changed over time, hence the enquiry from 1 October 2021 to date catering for changes.
Surely this is a documented governance flow chart and documented explanation exists as it would be expected as a base standard in any regulated industry body?
I have had to make such a broad inquiry in respect of the bodies involved as there are so many different bodies’ names on your website and in parliamentary answers
For the avoidance of doubt when I refer to Evusheld this is the brand name of tixagevimab and cilgavimab or what other name you have used for these compounds individually of collectively for the purposes of your processes.
I look forward to receiving an answer on this
Yours faithfully,
Louise Bicknell
This is an acknowledgement - please do not reply to this email.
Thank you for contacting the Department of Health and Social Care.
If your enquiry is in relation to the pandemic, the Government has
launched a COVID-19 ‘hub’, which can be found
at [1]www.gov.uk/coronavirus and is regularly updated.
The answers to many other questions can be found on [2]GOV.UK,
the [3]Department of Health and Social Care website or by visiting
the [4]NHS website. We may not respond to you if the answer to your
enquiry can be found on either of these websites. Where a reply is
appropriate, we aim to send a response within 20 working days.
Please note that the department cannot arrange vaccinations. [5]This
webpage gives information on vaccination. You can also contact your GP,
clinical commissioning group or call 119.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you must get tested as soon as possible.
The swab test takes less than a minute and is pain-free. Results from test
sites are generally received within 24 hours of the test being
administered. Further information, including what symptoms to look out
for, can be found [6]here.
If your business is interested in helping the Government increase
COVID-19 testing capacity, please visit [7]this webpage. Please note that
the service that was set up for businesses to offer other COVID-19 support
has closed. If you have a product to sell to the NHS, please visit
[8]https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/.
Since 15 February 2021, anyone travelling to the UK from a red-list
country has been required to quarantine in a managed quarantine facility
for a period of ten days. There will be periods where no countries are
listed, but the red list remains ready to be stood up should the global
epidemiological situation change. In these circumstances, there is
guidance available on a range of queries.
To find out how to apply for a medical or compassionate exemption, please
visit
[9]www.gov.uk/guidance/exemptions-from-managed-quarantine-for-compassionate-reasons.
If you have been in quarantine and have a complaint about the hotel,
please raise your concerns with the hotel itself in the first instance. If
your complaint is unresolved, please email the complaints team at
[10][email address].
If you are writing in connection with an NHS or social care service please
note that the department does not manage health and social services
directly, nor does it process complaints. It also cannot give clinical
advice or intervene in matters concerning patient care or social services.
If you wish to make a complaint about a healthcare professional, an NHS
organisation or a social care provider, please visit [11]this link.
If you would like to raise your concerns about a COVID-19 testing
provider, or have any other NHS Test and Trace enquiries, you can
contact [12]NHS Test and Trace enquiries, feedback and complaints.
Our [13]Personal information charter and [14]privacy notice explain how we
treat your personal information.
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
2. https://www.gov.uk/
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
4. https://www.nhs.uk/
5. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
6. https://www.gov.uk/getting-tested-for-co...
7. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-the-gov...
8. https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/
9. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
10. mailto:[email address]
11. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-t...
12. https://enquiries.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/...
13. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
14. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
Dear Department of Health and Social Care,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Health and Social Care's handling of my FOI request 'Antivirals and therapeutics task force - Evusheld'.
The DHSC advised me on 25 July that this should be extended in scope to cover the Antivirals and Therapeutics Strategy Board and the Antivirals and Therapeutics Programme Board which I did. The DHSC further questioned what was meant by a structure chart on 12 August which I responded to on 17 August.
I am still awaiting the answers to my original questions from 17 July in respect of the two bodies above.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a...
Yours faithfully,
Louise Bicknell
Dear Ms Bicknell,
Thank you for your email.
I apologise for the delay in you receiving a response to your recent FOI
request (our ref: FOI-1414071).
Please note that an internal review cannot be conducted until you have
received a response to your request.
We will therefore not be conducting an internal review at this stage, but
will respond to your FOI request as soon as possible, and I apologise
again for the delay.
I am sorry I cannot be more immediately helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.
This is an acknowledgement - please do not reply to this email.
Thank you for contacting the Department of Health and Social Care.
If your enquiry is in relation to the pandemic, the Government has
launched a COVID-19 ‘hub’, which can be found
at [1]www.gov.uk/coronavirus and is regularly updated.
The answers to many other questions can be found on [2]GOV.UK,
the [3]Department of Health and Social Care website or by visiting
the [4]NHS website. We may not respond to you if the answer to your
enquiry can be found on either of these websites. Where a reply is
appropriate, we aim to send a response within 20 working days.
Please note that the department cannot arrange vaccinations. [5]This
webpage gives information on vaccination. You can also contact your GP,
clinical commissioning group or call 119.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 you must get tested as soon as possible.
The swab test takes less than a minute and is pain-free. Results from test
sites are generally received within 24 hours of the test being
administered. Further information, including what symptoms to look out
for, can be found [6]here.
If your business is interested in helping the Government increase
COVID-19 testing capacity, please visit [7]this webpage. Please note that
the service that was set up for businesses to offer other COVID-19 support
has closed. If you have a product to sell to the NHS, please visit
[8]https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/.
Since 15 February 2021, anyone travelling to the UK from a red-list
country has been required to quarantine in a managed quarantine facility
for a period of ten days. There will be periods where no countries are
listed, but the red list remains ready to be stood up should the global
epidemiological situation change. In these circumstances, there is
guidance available on a range of queries.
To find out how to apply for a medical or compassionate exemption, please
visit
[9]www.gov.uk/guidance/exemptions-from-managed-quarantine-for-compassionate-reasons.
If you have been in quarantine and have a complaint about the hotel,
please raise your concerns with the hotel itself in the first instance. If
your complaint is unresolved, please email the complaints team at
[10][email address].
If you are writing in connection with an NHS or social care service please
note that the department does not manage health and social services
directly, nor does it process complaints. It also cannot give clinical
advice or intervene in matters concerning patient care or social services.
If you wish to make a complaint about a healthcare professional, an NHS
organisation or a social care provider, please visit [11]this link.
If you would like to raise your concerns about a COVID-19 testing
provider, or have any other NHS Test and Trace enquiries, you can
contact [12]NHS Test and Trace enquiries, feedback and complaints.
Our [13]Personal information charter and [14]privacy notice explain how we
treat your personal information.
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
2. https://www.gov.uk/
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
4. https://www.nhs.uk/
5. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
6. https://www.gov.uk/getting-tested-for-co...
7. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-the-gov...
8. https://www.supplychain.nhs.uk/
9. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
10. mailto:[email address]
11. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-t...
12. https://enquiries.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/...
13. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...
14. https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...
Dear Ms Bicknell,
Please find attached the Department of Health and Social Care's response
to your recent FOI request (our ref: FOI-1415521) and we apologise for the
long delay in replying.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health and Social Care
Dear Department of Health and Social Care,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Health and Social Care's handling of my FOI request 'Antivirals and therapeutics task force - Evusheld'.
Your REF FOI - 1415521
My ref - FOI 1
Thank you for your response of 18 October to my request for information submitted on 17 July 2022
The request was about the following bodies about which you increased my awareness in clarificatory correspondence:
1. Antivirals Taskforce Operations Board (4)
2. Antivirals Taskforce Programme Board (1)
3. Therapeutics Taskforce Operations Board (5)
4. Therapeutics Taskforce Programme Board (2)
5. Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce Programme Board (3)
6 Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce Strategy Board (6)
(Numbers in brackets are the order that you provided their details in response to Question 1.)
Question 1 Dates for all meetings of the taskforce from 1 October 2021 onwards, including future scheduled meetings
In answer you state that:
“Your request also asks for the board meetings held by the Antivirals Task Force (ATF) board and the Therapeutics Taskforce Programme Board (TTF). Whilst they were not involved in decision not to procure Evusheld at this time, the information you have requested is set out below.”
Please can you be clear on two points:
1. Which ATF Board are you referring to - the Operations Board or the Programme Board?
2. Is it therefore correct that:
- one of the ATF Boards;
- the Therapeutics Taskforce Operations Board;
- the Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce Programme Board; and
- the Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce Strategy Board
were all involved in the decision not to procure Evusheld?
Question 2. Details of the membership of the taskforce from 1 October onwards, detailing who has left/been replaced and by whom. Their roles and functions.
I asked for both the role and function of the membership. By role, this is their title and organisation within the NHS which you have provided. By use of the term function, consistent with normal usage, I mean their specific purpose/duty as a member of the Taskforce. The details of the role has been provided, the function has not. Please remedy this.
You also use a lot of abbreviations in the table. I do not want to assume what these mean. Please define each for the avoidance of doubt. Some examples are what is an SRO, PMO VTF, what body is NHSBT, UKRI?
Question 3. A structure chart setting out the bodies involved inthe COVID 19 medical approval process from 1 October onwards
As I explained on 16 August in response to your request for clarification by “a structure chart I would expect to see bodies/committees/policy teams/units/task forces etc that would contribute to, make recommendations on (policy or otherwise), and be involved in the process of a COVID treatments journey through the NHS review process including those who receive the final papers and make the decision whether to go ahead and purchase it for the NHS. I would also expect to see the details of which body provides the secretarial support (agenda preparation, minutes etc) for each stage of the process.
Therefore I would expect there to be a flow diagram with a written explanatory process … Surely this documented governance flow chart and documented explanation exists as it would be expected as a base standard in any regulated industry body?”
You link to documents in the public domain that I have already seen, some of which were published after my original request. None of these mention any of the 6. bodies detailed above. Therefore this question remains unanswered. I would expect to see something along the lines of an organisation structure chart with annotations of their functions/purpose in the structure.
Question 4. Copies of all agenda items, papers submitted and minutes of meetings which relate to Evusheld
This question and the provision of related information has not been addressed at all. To assist I am happy to restrict the scope of this to the bodies that were involved in the decision not to procure Evusheld and any meetings from 1 January 2022 to 31 August 2022 rather than 1 October 2021 onwards
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a...
Yours faithfully,
Louise Bicknell
Dear Ms Bicknell,
We are writing to inform you there will be a delay to issuing the response
to the above enquiry; we anticipate responding within the next 7-10 days.
Please accept our apologies for this and for any inconvenience it may have
caused.
Yours sincerely,
The Freedom of Information Team.
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.
Louise Bicknell left an annotation ()
On 20th day after I requested an internal review they ask for 7 - 10 days more!
Dear Ms Bicknell.
Please find attached the internal review outcome letter re: FOI-1415521.
We apologise for the length of time it has taken to reply.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
This e-mail and any attachments is intended only for the attention of the
addressee(s). Its unauthorised use, disclosure, storage or copying is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient, please destroy all
copies and inform the sender by return e-mail. Any views expressed in this
message are not necessarily those of the Department of Health and Social
Care. Please note: Incoming and outgoing email messages are routinely
monitored for compliance with our policy on the use of electronic
communications.
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Louise Bicknell left an annotation ()
They responded to my request to an internal review, as they had failed to answer this for so long, saying on 20/9 that they cannot do an internal review as they haven’t answered it yet! They have said that they will answer it …