November 2021

Request received

1. Who is the current community dermatology services provider?
2. How long was the last contract award for?
3. When is the contract due for renewal?
4. What is the annual expenditure with that provider for the service in question?
5. What premises the provider delivers the services from?
6. Who is the service manager or head of service in charge of this area?
7. Who is the clinical lead (in the provider) responsible for this area of work?

Our response

1. The only community-based dermatology service is provided by Kernow Health community interest company (KHCIC).
2. 21 months (from 1 July 2021).
3. 31 March 2023.
4. £365,402 for the year to 31 March 2021.
5. KHCIC deliver their service via two subcontracted providers and their premises are as follows:
   • Penntorr Health, Trevol Business Park, Trevol Road, Torpoint PL11 2TB
   • Grant Stevens at various GP practice locations in east Cornwall
6. Maria Harvey, director of integrated community care services, KHCIC.
7. Dr Jonathan Katz, medical director, KHCIC.

Request received

This request relates to resting ECG, stress or exercise CCG and ambulatory 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and 7 day (holter monitoring).

1. Do GP practices in your region undertake any of the ECG procedures?
2. If no, in what setting are these procedures undertaken in your region? For example acute or community hospitals.
3. What tariff costs are currently applied for the ECG procedures?
4. Does the CCG, or any of your provider organisations, currently commission any third-party organisations to undertake ECG analysis activity? For example Broomwell Healthwatch.
5. If yes, please provide the name(s) of the provider organisations or service provided.
6. If applicable, what costs are charged by commissioned third party providers for the analysis of ECGs?

Our response

1. Ambulatory (holter monitoring).
2. Not applicable.
3. Ambulatory (holter monitoring). For year to 31 March 2020 local enhanced contracts (LES) with GP surgeries provided a tariff of £81. Since COVID, LES contracts have been funded through a block arrangement and not specific to tariff or pay by results.
4. No.
5. Not applicable.
6. Not applicable.

Request received

This request relates to 2018 to 2019, 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 financial years.

1. How many individuals were granted NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) funding via the fast-track pathway for the financial years above?
2. How many individuals initially granted NHS CHC funding via the fast-track pathway had a decision support tool (DST) assessment for the financial years above?
3. For answer 2a, how many were found by the DST assessment to be:
   • eligible for CHC funding
   • no longer eligible for CHC funding
   • other (please detail where possible)
4. How many of the individuals outlined in answer 2b were found by the DST assessment to be:
   • eligible for CHC funding
   • no longer eligible for CHC funding
   • other (please detail where possible)
5. How many of the individuals outlined in answer 2c were found by the DST assessment to be:
   • eligible for CHC funding
   • no longer eligible for CHC funding
   • other (please detail where possible)
6. Of those in answer 5, how many were subsequently referred to:
   • a local authority social care services
   • other (please specify where possible)
   • no referral was made

If retrieving the information for question 6 exceeds the appropriate limit for the FOI, please answer only questions 1 to 5.

Our response

1. 2018 to 2019 = 1,533. 2019 to 2020 = 1,636. 2020 to 2021 = 1,149.
2. 2018 to 2019 = 94. 2019 to 2020 = 129. 2020 to 2021 = 49.
3. 2018 to 2019 = 47. 2019 to 2020 = 39. 2020 to 2021 = exempt.
4. 2018 to 2019 = 58. 2019 to 2020 = 44. 2020 to 2021 = 27.
5. 2018 to 2019 = 26. 2019 to 2020 = 17. 2020 to 2021 = exempt.
6. 2018 to 2019 = 17. 2019 to 2020 = zero. 2020 to 2021 = zero.

For answers 3c and 5c, NHS Kernow holds the information but where the numbers are less than 10, the information cannot be disclosed as it could potentially identify the individuals involved. Especially if combined with other data, this would constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act 2018. Therefore, this information is exempt from disclosure under section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on the grounds that it is personal information.

Request received

1. We require the following hourly charge rates for all home care packages of care that you commission. Not each individual package but in aggregate for each identified segment). We require the figures set out in the following way:
   • average hourly charge rates
   • lowest hourly charge rates
   • highest hourly charge rates
   • median hourly charge rates
2. The rates above are required for the following home care provision settings:
   • domiciliary care packages
   • complex care packages split into adults and children
   • live in care packages
   • learning disability packages
3. The total number of clients you commission for all home care packages for the following categories:
   • children
   • adults
   • learning disabilities
   • live in care
4. The total number of hours commissioned for the following client groups that you commission:
   • children
   • adults
   • learning disabilities
   • live in care
5. The total cost and financial value of the home care commissioned for the following categories:
   • children
   • adults
   • learning disabilities
   • live in care

Our response

NHS Kernow is unable to provide all the information requested as packages of care are recorded as total figures with notes to show the breakdown and do not distinguish between live in care, complex or domiciliary.

As a rule (but not in all cases), home care should be commissioned by adult social care or Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as appropriate, residential care adult social care or Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as appropriate and nursing care by NHS Kernow.

1. Home care packages:
   • average: £21.32
   • lowest: Not applicable.
   • highest: Not applicable.
   • median: £20.92
2. Home care provision settings:
   • domiciliary care: £21.32
   • complex care: Not applicable.
   • live in care: Not applicable.
   • learning disability: £20.92
3. Total number of clients:
   • children: 21.
   • adults: 352 and section 117 eligible clients: 37
   • learning disabilities: 85
   • live in care: not applicable
4. Total number of hours commissioned:
   • children: 984
   • adults: 2,552
   • learning disabilities: 9,260
   • live in care: not applicable
5. Weekly costs:
   • children: £28,621
   • adults: £569,576 and section 117 eligible clients £46,479
   • learning disabilities: £257,223
   • live in care: not applicable

Request received

1. How many percentage wise out of the 11 to 15 year olds that have been offered have had 1 COVID-19 vaccination so far in Cornwall?
2. How many percentage wise out of the 15 to 17 year olds that have been offered have had 1 COVID-19 vaccination so far in Cornwall?
3. Out of each of these 2 groups, how many in numbers not percentages have had 2 COVID-19 vaccinations so far in Cornwall?

Our response

1. 30.1%.
2. 63.4%.
3. 703.

Request received

I would like to request a pdf copy of the rheumatology high-cost drugs pathway for CCGs under your jurisdiction for the following conditions:

• rheumatoid arthritis
• psoriatic arthritis
• ankylosing spondylitis

Our response

NHS Kernow does not hold the information requested. Out of the 3 conditions listed the only biologics pathway being developed by Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is for severe rheumatoid arthritis. Once finalised this document will be available on the Cornwall Formulary website.

More information and the expected date of publication may be available from Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust. Email the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust FOI team.

Request received

1. What plans are in place towards increasing the number of mental health beds in your locality and within what time frame?
2. What is the total number of patients placed out of the area with a mental health diagnosis in the past year to date?
3. List of private mental health hospital providers which you are currently placing patients in their care?
4. What criteria and guidelines do you follow in selecting or commissioning private transport services providers?
5. List of private transport companies or independent ambulance services providers currently commissioned to transport patients to such facilities?
6. On average how much do you currently pay per trip for patient transportation to such facilities?
7. Are you currently accepting new firms? What is the typical contract length/agreement with private transport companies or independent ambulance services?
8. What is the total amount spent in the last year to date on patient transportation?
9. Any other comments?

Our response

1. NHS Kernow does not intend to increase the number of mental health beds in the locality at this moment in time. We are currently working with our secondary care mental health care provider to review the current commissioned bed stock against the needs of our population and national benchmarking data.
2. NHS Kernow holds the information but as the number of placements are small, the information cannot be disclosed as it could potentially identify the individuals involved. Especially if combined with other data, this would constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act 2018. Therefore, this information is exempt from disclosure under section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on the grounds that it is personal information.
3. See response to question 2.
4. National patient transport guidelines.
5. NHS Kernow do not currently commission any 1 provider but spot purchase on requirement through a centralised booking service at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.
6. NHS Kernow does not hold this information.
7. There are no current contracts directly commissioned by the NHS Kernow. Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust will accept new providers if they pass due diligence.
8. £7.045 million for all non-emergency patient transport.
9. None.

Request received

1. What is the main radiology system that your trust or health board runs?
2. Who is the supplier of this system?
3. What is the annual cost of the system?
4. How long is the contract for the system, and when does it expire?
5. What is the overall lifetime cost of the system?
6. What is the main picture archiving and communications system (PACS) system that your trust or health board runs?
7. Who is the supplier of this system?
8. What is the annual cost of the system?
9. How long is the contract for the system, and when does it expire?
10. What is the overall lifetime cost of the system?
11. What is the main pathology (LIMS) system that your trust or health board runs?
12. Who is the supplier of this system?
13. What is the annual cost of the system?
14. How long is the contract for the system, and when does it expire?
15. What is the overall lifetime cost of the system?

Our response

NHS Kernow is a clinical commissioning group responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services. NHS Kernow does not use these systems. The information requested may be available from the following NHS trusts:

• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Request received

Please could you provide which system suppliers the acute and primary care practices use for their:

• order communications management systems
• laboratory information management systems

Our response

NHS Kernow does not hold this information. This may be available from:

• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Request received

1. What is the annual apprenticeship levy?
2. How much levy do you currently use approximately?
3. How many apprentices do you currently have?
4. What training providers do you use?
5. What apprenticeship standards do you use?
6. How many IT apprentices do you have?
7. Who is the best contact for apprentices?

Our response

1. Year to 31 March 2021 = £34,334. Year to 31 March 2022 estimate = £41,000.
2. Year to 31 March 2021 = £18,139. Year to 31 March 2022 estimate = £24,000.
3. 6.
4. Exeter University, Cornwall College, HTFT Partnership and Accountancy Learning Ltd.
5. Business administration, assistant accountant, accountancy professional, senior leaders masters and HR consultant partner.
6. None.
7. Please contact our HR team.

Request received

1. Do you have a primary care flexible staff pool arrangement?
2. Do you have a staff bank provider?
3. What is the name of your staff bank provider?
4. Was the bank software procured through a framework?
5. What is the name of the framework the bank provider was procured using?
6. Contract signed date for the provider you currently use for your staff bank?
7. Contract expiry date for the provider you currently use for your staff bank?
8. What was the trust’s spend on agency staff wages in 2020?
9. What was the trust’s spend on staff bank provider fees in 2020?
10. Who is the senior responsible officer?

Our response

NHS Kernow is a clinical commissioning group responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services and does not use bank staff. The following NHS trusts may be able to provide this information:

• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Request received

1. Is artificial intelligence or robotics used anywhere within the supply chain, if so where?
2. If you answered yes to question 1, what inventory management and automation system is deployed? Please provide the name of the developer or software.
3. Where is the inventory stored?
4. How is unwanted inventory disposed of?
5. Were any lessons learnt on improving inventory management as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or Brexit?
6. Please provide links to where data on the inventory usage can be found?

The definition of automation includes robotics and artificial intelligence. Inventory may be defined as the stock of items stored by an organisation for the meeting of customers needs (medical and non-medical).

Our response

1. No.
2. Not applicable.
3. NHS Kernow’s inventory is very limited and comprises, in the main, of stationary and photocopier supplies. These are stored in the offices. Occasionally furniture is procured from the supply chain, this would be on an as need basis.
4. NHS Kernow doesn’t have any unwanted inventory.
5. No.
6. NHS Kernow do not have any data on inventory usage.

Request received

1. What is the name of your PAS supplier?
2. How much does this cost per annum?
3. What is the length of your contract for this service?
4. What is the total cost of your contract?
5. When does this contract expire?
6. What is the name of your EPR supplier? If you do not have an EPR state none.
7. How much does this cost per annum?
8. What is the length of your contract for this service?
9. What is the total cost of your contract?
10. When does this contract expire?
11. Does your trust run community services, for example district nursing? If no, state no.
12. If so, what is the name of your PAS or EPR supplier?
13. How much does this cost per annum?
14. What is the length of your contract for this service?
15. What is the total cost of your contract?
16. When does this contract expire?
17. Does your trust have an electronic prescribing and medicines administration system?
18. If so, who is the supplier of your ePMA system?
19. How much does your ePMA system cost per annum?
20. What is the total cost of the ePMA contract, over the life?
21. What is the length of your contract for this service?
22. When does your current contract expire?

Our response

NHS Kernow is a clinical commissioning group responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services. NHS Kernow does not use the systems listed. The information requested may be available from the following NHS Trusts:

• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Request received

1. For 2021 to 2022 what is your total revenue spend on IT and how was this split by the following categories (%)?
   • clinical systems including PAS and EPR, pathology and radiology
   • people (all staff costs)
   • IT infrastructure (for example networks, desktops and laptops)
   • non-clinical systems (for example HR, finance, governance and expenses)
   • other digital health spending (for example new technologies, video consultations, artificial intelligence)
2. For 2020 to 2021 what was your total revenue spend on IT and how was this split by the following categories (%)?
   • clinical systems including PAS and EPR, pathology and radiology
   • people (all staff costs)
   • IT infrastructure (for example networks, desktops and laptops)
   • non-clinical systems (for example HR, finance, governance and expenses)
   • other digital health spending (for example new technologies, video consultations, artificial intelligence)
3. If you know what your IT revenue budget will be for 2022 to 2023, what is this?
4. The total IT budget as a % of your total trust spend for 2021 to 2022.
5. What is your total capital spend on IT for 2021 to 2022?
6. What is the total IT budget as a % of your total capital spend for 2021 to 2022
7. In terms of patient facing services, do you have or offer any of the following:
   • video consultations
   • online consultations
   • online appointment booking for patients (outside eRS)
   • personal health record or person held record
8. Who is the supplier of your patient facing services? If more than 1 supplier, please state which of the 4 areas above each supplier covers.
9. How much did you spend on these patient facing services in 2020 to 2021?
10. What percentage of total outpatient appointments were delivered using video consultations?

Our response

1. Not applicable. NHS Kernow clinical commission group commissions services it is not a provider; data on prescribing software provided to GP practices not available until after 31 March 2022. NHS Kernow does not pay for its payroll or finance system as this is provided by NHS England and NHS Improvement.
2. £1.77 million.
   • Not applicable. NHS Kernow commissions services it is not a provider. £204k was spent on providing prescribing software to GP practices.
   • £320k (basic salaries plus employers superannuation and national insurance).
   • £1.25million covering the categories of computer hardware, computer software, network costs and maintenance. £945k related to supporting GP practices.
   • Expenses software £5k. Payroll and finance systems are supplied by NHS England and NHS Improvement.
   • Not separately identifiable.
3. Planning for 2022 to 2023 has not yet started.
4. Information not available at this point in time (total spend not known until year end).
5. Not available at this point in time (year end is 31 March 2022).
6. Information available at this point in time (total capital spend not known until year end).

For questions 7 to 9, our response is not applicable.

Request received

1. What inventory management system you use?
2. How long roughly have you had this?
3. Does your system serve a single site location or multi site?
4. If multi site, how many sites?
5. Do you have any plans to change your system?

Our response

NHS Kernow is a clinical commissioning group responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services. NHS Kernow does not this system. The information requested may be available from the following NHS Trusts:

• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Request received

This FOI relates to statistics and numbers of failed pregnancies in Cornwall since April 2021. Please break down the information into 2 statistics:

1. failed to go to full term
2. stillborn

If possible I would like to know the total of each month up until the present.

Our response

NHS Kernow cannot provide the data on a monthly basis due to the figures being so small. This is the data for the period from April 2021:

• miscarriage 16 to 23 + 6 weeks: 10
• stillbirths (pre term): 8
• stillbirths (term and intrapartum): Less than 5

For stillbirths, NHS Kernow holds the information but as the numbers are less than 5, the information cannot be disclosed. It could potentially identify the individuals involved especially if combined with other data. This would constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act 2018. Therefore, this information is exempt from disclosure under section 40 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on the grounds that it is personal information.