Freedom of information

Requests for information should be made in writing either by emailing mse.foi.suhft@nhs.net or writing to: 

Freedom of Information 
Corporate Management & Membership Services
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Level L
Basildon Hospital
Nethermayne
Basildon
Essex SS16 5NL

Your request must include

• Your name and address for correspondence (email address is acceptable)
• A clear description of the information that you are requesting (giving enough detail to allow us to correctly identify and find it)
• The way you would like the information sent to you (e.g. by post or email)

We will send you confirmation of the request, including a reference number, which you should quote in any communication with us relating to your request. We will also tell you when you should expect a reply, which, under the terms of the Act, has to be within 20 working days. 

For more information on how to make a request, visit the gov.uk freedom of information act (FOIA) page

Charging

If the charges for the request exceed the set upper limit of £450 we will outline as far as possible what information could be provided to bring the cost below the limit. Otherwise, we are not obliged to provide you with the information. 

Exemptions 

Under the terms of the Act some or all of the information you request may be exempt from disclosure. If this is the case, we will inform you as to what information we will and will not disclose, including what exemption/s have been applied. Occasionally, our response may take longer than the 20 working days prescribed in the Act because of applying exemptions. 

If this is the case we will inform you, giving you a date by which we aim to have replied. If any further delays occur, we will advise you of them as necessary. 

Response 

Once we have processed your request, we will send you the information requested, provided it is held by MSEFT and is not exempted from disclosure. We will supply the information in the format you requested, as far as possible. If we know that the information is held by another public authority we will supply you with relevant contact details of the other public authority.

Internal review

If you don't think that your request has been handled satisfactorily, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Please email The Company Secretary at mse.board.committeepapers@nhs.net or send a letter to:

Sheila Murphy
Company Secretary
Corporate Management & Membership Services
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Level L
Basildon Hospital
Nethermayne
Basildon
Essex SS16 5NL

Your complaint will be investigated and you will be informed of the decision. We will aim to give you a response to your complaint within 20 working days. If we are unable to respond within this time, we will inform you. 

Please make your complaint within three months of receiving your response.

Not satisfied?

If you're still not satisfied, you can complain to the Information Commissioner using their website https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or calling 0303 123 1113.

Copyright 

The information sent to you is subject to Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust's copyright, unless otherwise indicated. Unless expressly indicated on the material to the contrary, it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium, provided it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading manner. 

Where any of the copyright items are being re-published or copied to others, you must identify the source of the material and acknowledge the copyright status. Permission to reproduce material does not extend to any material provided to you that is the copyright of third parties. You must obtain authorisation to reproduce such material from the copyright holders concerned.

How we fit into the NHS Structure or to request the organisational structure chart, email mse.foi.suhft@nhs.net.

Location and contact details for all public-facing departments - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/our-services.

Senior staff and management board members - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/meet-the-team.

What we spend and how we spend it 

Annual report and accounts - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports

Budgets and variance reports -  https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports

Financial audit reports - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports

Standing financial instructions and our capital programme can be requested from mse.foi.suhft@nhs.net

Staff and Board members’ allowances and expenses - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports

Staff pay and grading structures 

• Directors' pay details are included in our annual reports - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports
• Staff are paid according to national pay scales - https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/working-health/working-nhs/nhs-pay-and-benefits/agenda-change-pay-rates

Funding (included in the Annual Plan) at https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports

Procurement and tendering procedures can be requested from mse.foi.suhft@nhs.net

Details of contracts currently being tendered - For the most up to date information on tenders requiring OJEU adverts Tenders European Daily (TED)

List and value of contracts awarded and their value - For high value tenders Tenders European Daily (TED)

What are our priorities and how we're doing 

Annual business plan and targets, aims and objectives can be requested from mse.foi.suhft@nhs.net

Performance against targets (KPI)/performance framework - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/board-meetings

Clinical governance - A risk analysis report forms part of the Annual Report - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports

Care Quality Commission - https://www.cqc.org.uk

Audit reports (included in the annual reports) - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/trust-publications-and-reports

How we make decisions 

Board papers - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/board-meetings

Patient and public involvement can be requested at mse.foi.suhft@nhs.net

Our policies and procedures 

All of our policies, procedures and guidelines, lists and registers can be requested from mse.foi.suhft@nhs.net, this includes:

• Any information we are currently legally required to hold in publicly available registers 
• List of main contractors / suppliers 
• Assets registers and Information Asset Register 
• Register of Gifts and Hospitality provided to Board members and senior personnel 
• Disclosure Log 

Any register of interests kept in the authority register of Board Members’ Interests (included in the board meeting minutes) - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/board-meetings

The services we offer

Clinical services provided and/or commissioned - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/our-services

Patient information leaflets and other booklets and newsletters can be requested from mse.foi.suhft@nhs.net

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/pals

Communications Unit/Media - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/media-centre

Chaplaincy - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/chaplaincy

Advice and guidance - https://www.mse.nhs.uk/pals

The Publication Scheme is a complete seven-part guide to the information we routinely publish about our trust. We review the scheme regularly and monitor how it's operating.

The publications within each class are all free electronically unless otherwise indicated. 

If you have any comments or questions about this scheme or would like a copy of the Publication Scheme, please contact the FOI team. We can also send you hard copies but there may be a charge for this.

If you have a complaint about the operation of the Publication Scheme or how the Trust has dealt with your request for information from this scheme, please email the Director of Corporate Affairs, Lauren MacIntyre at mse.board.committeepapers@nhs.net.