Request
To whom it may concern,
I would like to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act. Please could you provide the details to this email address and in as much detail as possible, consistent with the exemptions listed within the Act.
I am happy to provide any clarifications as required.
1. Please could you provide a list of all transactions made by your institution to the organisation, Solace (http://www.solace.org.uk/), in each of the last three financial years for which figures are available. Please include the date of the transaction, the total amount paid, and if possible, the purpose of the transaction.
2. Please could you provide a list of any a) internal staff magazine or newspapers and b) patient magazine or newspapers published by your organisation in each of the last three financial years for which figures are available. By internal staff/patient newspapers I mean any publication printed by your organisation which list events/activities or regional, national or NHS news, but is not primarily focussed on clinical literature (i.e. not a patient leaflet on cancer, for example). If your organisation has printed any of these newspapers please could you provide details on: a) whether it was monthly/annually etc, b) what the costs of (1) printing, (2) distributing and (3) writing this publication, to your institution and c) how many copies of this newspaper/magazine have been printed in each financial year. Please provide the latest copy of this newspaper/magazine.
Many thanks for your help,
Our response
I refer to your email requesting information in respect of transactions made by NHS East Midlands to Solace and the production of internal staff magazines/newspapers.
I can confirm in accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) that we do not hold the information that you have requested.
Solace
I can confirm that NHS East Midlands has spent no money with Solace in the period requested.
Magazines/Newspapers
NHS East Midlands does not print/publish any internal staff magazines or newspapers, or patient magazines/newspapers. We do circulate an electronic staff communication bulletin on a monthly (and sometimes ad-hoc as required) basis. However, this incurs no cost in terms of its printing or distribution. This communication is written and designed in-house as part of an overall communications team role. There is no separate budget for production of the newsletter or for staff to produce it.
I hope that this information is of use. 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 Moosa Patel
Director of Corporate Affairs
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
