Request
Dear FOI
officer,
This is a request
under the Freedom of Information Act. Please could you acknowledge
receipt of this request via email.
Could you please
supply me with the details of your annual budget
allocated for press communications for the financial years
2008-2009 and 2007-20008, and how many staff are currently employed
at your press office. I would like to know the salaries of the head
and deputy head of the press office.
I would also like
to know if and when you have employed an external communications or
public relations company in the last 5 years, either solely footing
the bill or sharing it with another agency. Please supply me with
details of why that company was employed, for how long, the cost
and the terms of the contract, and, if applicable, what agency you
shared that bill with.
Please include
copies of material you hold in the form of paper and electronic
records, including emails.
If I can help to
clarify this request please contact me on xxx, or via email, xxxx.
Any advice you have regarding this request would also be greatly
appreciated. If for any reason this is not the correct email
address, please could you let me know and/or send this on to the
FOI officer.
I look forward to
hearing from you promptly, or within 20 working days, as required
by the Act.
*******************************************************
Our response
I refer to your
email of 4 March requesting annual budget allocations in respect of
the NHS East Midlands Communications Team.
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.
- Communications budget
2007/08:
£302k
- Communications budget
2008/09:
£375k
Additional investment of £162k has been provided to
support the funding of a university based learning
programme in strategic communications for senior communicators
across the region; development of the capability and capacity of
communications at NHS East Midlands and £400,000 to develop public
patient engagement amongst the 23 primary care, acute and mental
health trusts in the East Midlands who between them employ 80,000
staff.
These investments
were considered by the Audit and Risk Committee at its meeting on
23 April 2008 and are disclosed in the SHA Business and Finance
plans considered by the SHA board in May 2008 and publically
available on our
website.
http://www.eastmidlands.nhs.uk/sys_upl/templates/AssetBrowser/AssetBrowser_disp.asp?ItemID=2501&basketPage=&basketItem=&CategoryID=201&pgid=5881&tid=165&page=1
The following
external communications companies were employed by the SHA in the
last 5 years:
- Geronimo
Limited – Appointed
when the SHA came into existence, to provide communications support
until a director was appointed and the team established.
Duration of contract was 6 months from January to June 2007, at a
total cost of £85k.
- Oleana
Limited – Provider
of outsourced support since August 2008. Costs to date total
£28k.
You can find the
NHS East Midlands Communications Team structure by following the
attached link to our website. The agenda for change pay
band for both the Director and Deputy Director of Communications
can also be found:-
http://www.eastmidlands.nhs.uk/about-us/our-structure/patient-care-directorate/communications-team
The agenda for
change pay scales can also be found on our website:-
http://www.eastmidlands.nhs.uk/about-us/our-structure/nhs-payscales
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 complain in 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
