Request
I would like to please request the following information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000.
1. Which firms of management consultants (eg McKinsey's, KPMG, Accenture etc) have done any work for your SHA in each of the last three years?
2. What sort of work have they each done for you? Give some details, please.
3. How much has each firm of management consultants been paid in each of the last three years? (Plase break this answer down a) by firm and also b) by year).
4. How many employees from each of the management consultancies employed have worked at your SHA's headquarters?
5. What were the top ten daily rates paid for each of the management consultants employed during the three years?
Our Response
I refer to your email requesting NHS East Midlands Consultancy Costs.
I can confirm in accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) that we do hold most of the information that you have requested.
I will address each of your points in turn:
1. Which firms of management consultants (eg McKinsey's, KPMG, Accenture etc) have done any work for your SHA in each of the last three years?
2. What sort of work have they each done for you? Give some details, please.
3. How much has each firm of management consultants been paid in each of the last three years? (Please break this answer down a) by firm and also b) by year).
We are of the opinion that Section 22 of the FOIA, which concerns information for publication at a later date, can be engaged in respect of questions 1, 2 and 3 above. Section 22 is a qualified exemption and is subject to consideration of the public interest test. We recognise that there is a public interest in putting this information into the public domain in the interests of accountability and transparency of government. To this end it is our intention to publish this information in August 2010.
There are strong arguments to support the use of the future publication exemption on the basis that we need to ensure that the information being disclosed is accurate, up to date and properly considered. We consider that the best use of public resources would be directed to ensuring the information is published in a responsible and comprehensive format.
4. How many employees from each of the management consultancies employed have worked at your SHA's headquarters?
NHS East Midlands does not hold this information.
5. What were the top ten daily rates paid for each of the management consultants employed during the three years?.
I can confirm that NHS East Midlands does hold information relevant to this part of your request. However, we consider that to identify, locate, review and collate these details relating to the periods requested would exceed the limit of our obligation under the Act. Section 12 of the FOI Act 2000 stipulates that there is no obligation to comply with a request for information where the total cost of doing so would exceed ‘the appropriate limit’. In the case of public bodies such as the NHS, the ‘appropriate limit’ has been set at £450 with a rate of £25 per hour (equating to 18 hours’ effort in total).
However, you should be aware that we have previously answered similar queries concerning consultancy work and you might be able to gather some information relevant to this request by searching our FOI disclosure log. The link is attached below:-
http://www.eastmidlands.nhs.uk/about-us/access-to-information/freedom-of-information/foi-disclosure-log/
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
