NHS Employee Travel Abroad

Request

I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
1. Have any of your employees taken trips abroad since May 2010 which were funded by you, any other NHS body, or by a third party but were connected to your employees' work?
2. If so please provide details for each trip of
a. the number of people travelling
b. whether they are clinicians/management/other staff and job titles
c. the purpose of the trip, dates of inward and outward travel and places visited
d. the name of the accommodation used in the trip and which mode of travel (and class) were used (eg economy flight/first class Eurostar)
e. the cost of the trip and breakdown by travel/accommodation/food/other.
If these were trips associated by work but funded by other NHS bodies or private firms, please indicate.
Please reply within 20 working days

Our Response

I refer to your email requesting information in respect of NHS East Midlands employees who have taken trips abroad since May 2010.

I can confirm in accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) that we do hold the information that you have requested.  I will address each of your questions in turn:

Have any of your employees taken trips abroad since May 2010 which were funded by you, any other NHS body, or by a third party but were connected to your employees' work?

• Yes

2. If so please provide details for each trip of
a. the number of people travelling

• 1 person

b. whether they are clinicians/management/other staff and job titles

• NHS East Midlands Medical Director – Clinician/Director

c. the purpose of the trip, dates of inward and outward travel and places visited

Purpose

• Study Tour to explore approaches to improving the quality of healthcare

Outbound flight

• Departure: 15:05, Heathrow Airport (London)

• Arrival: 17:35, Logan International Airport (Boston MA)

Inbound flight

• Departure: 20:45, Logan International Airport (Boston MA)

• Arrival: 07:15, Heathrow Airport (London)

Places Visited

• The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical practice

• MIT New Media Lab, Cambridge, MA

• Roca - an outcomes-driven, high performing youth development organisation in Chelsea, Revere, East Boston

d. the name of the accommodation used in the trip and which mode of travel (and class) were used (eg economy flight/first class Eurostar)

Accommodation used

• The Langham, 250 Franklin Street, Boston

• The Hanover Inn, Main Street, Hanover

Mode of Travel

• Internal road transfers funded by The Health Foundation

Class of travel

• Premium Economy Class flights funded by The Health Foundation

e. the cost of the trip and breakdown by travel/accommodation/food/other.
If these were trips associated by work but funded by other NHS bodies or private firms, please indicate.

• All flights, other transportation, accommodation and food were provided for the duration of the Study Tour by The Health Foundation.  NHS East Midlands incurred no cost in terms of this study tour. 

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