Request
Please can you
provide for me under the FOI the latest assessment by your SHA
of the pandemic plans of the PCTs in your area, including
the scores attached to them, and of any further assesment made by
the Department of Health regarding those plans.
*********************************************
Our Response
I can confirm in
accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 that
we do hold the information that you have
requested.
However, NHS East
Midlands intends to publish an up to date quantitative score of
pandemic Flu preparedness in due course. We are therefore of
the opinion that the exemption offered under Section 22 (1) (a) of
the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which refers to information
intended for publication at a later date, is engaged in this
instance. We feel that early release of this information
would provide an unrealistic view of the situation as it is not a
true reflection of the current state of preparedness. We therefore
feel that the public interest in withholding the information at
this stage outweighs the public interest in its
disclosure.
The outbreak of
A(H1N1) in April 2009 interrupted the Strategic Health Authority
(SHA) and Primary Care Trust (PCT) self-assessment process. NHS and
Department of Health resources that would, in normal circumstances,
have been allocated to collecting and validating these assessments,
are currently being directed towards managing the current outbreak
and ensuring that the Department and NHS are fully prepared for any
potentially more severe outbreak over the autumn or winter. The
response to the swine pandemic by the NHS demonstrates that
Pandemic Flu Plans are already in action and are working
well.
Diverting
resources both with the Department of Health and across the NHS to
complete the analysis would not be a good use of resources at this
time. However, DH has a full programme of work, led by the
National Director for NHS Flu Resilience, to ensure NHS Flu
Pandemic Plans fully reflect the current understanding of the
A(H1N1) virus. This includes a programme of testing of plans
to be coordinated by all ten SHAs across England.
This work is
already underway and should be completed in due course.
Please see the attached letter to SHA, PCT, Acute Trust, Mental
Health and Foundation Trust Chief Executives from the National
Director of Flu Resilience. A summary report on each of the
ten exercises will be prepared for sign off by each SHA prior
to submission to the National Director for NHS Flu
Resilience. Copies of these reports will be made available to
the public as these will be presented to the SHA Board.
I do hope that
this information is of use to you. However, please note that
if you are dissatisfied with the way in which we have dealt with
your request you can ask us to review our decision by writing
to
Mr Kevin
Orford
Deputy Chief
Executive and Director of Finance
NHS East
Midlands
Octavia
House
Interchange
Business Park
Bostock's
Lane
Sandiacre
Nottingham
NG10
5QG
If at the
conclusion of any review you remain dissatisfied you may complain
to the Information Commissioner who can be contacted
at:-
The Office of the
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe
House
Water
Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9
5AF
