Email:
Direct tel: 01246 514965
13 May 2016 /
Bartholomew House
142 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B16 9PA
0121 255 0863
Dear Requestor
FOI Reference Number: 11508-16
I refer to your email of 28 April 2016 requesting information regarding Continuing Health Care (CHC).
I can confirm on behalf of NHS Birmingham South Central CCG and in accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) that we do hold the information that you have requested. A response to your request is detailed below. Please see our responses in blue:
1) Is the continuing healthcare and funded nursing care process managed in-house, or is part or all of the process outsourced to a 3rd party (CSU, Council, Independent provider etc.). If outsourced, please state the name of the company and the services outsourced (all CHC, assessment, brokerage, invoice validation etc.)
The continuing health care and funded nursing care process is outsourced to Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit (Arden GEM CSU).All CHC and Funded Nursing Care (FNC) services are outsourced to Arden GEM CSU.
2) Please provide the name and contact details of the individual responsible for continuing healthcare at the CCG.
Please contact Sam Davies, telephone number: 0121 255 0808.
3) How many people are involved with the continuing healthcare process internally?
The Arden GEM CHC team comprises 40 people, and provides a service for the Birmingham and Solihull CCGs.
4) Does the CCG or any contracted provider managing CHC have a connection to the Exeter System and regularly check this? If not how does the CCG become aware of patient deaths?
Arden & GEM CSU uses the Exeter system.
5) Does the CCG use any third party tech solutions to record patient information relating to CHC (Broadcare, Swift, Caretrack, QA Plus etc.)? If not how is this recorded?
Arden & GEM CSU uses the Broadcare system.
6) Does the CCG use any third party tech solutions to record financial information (Broadcare, Caretrack, QA Plus etc.)? If not how are invoices validated against care package details?
Arden & GEM CSU uses the Broadcare system.
7) Does the CCG contract care packages from a framework with agreed rates? If so what percentage of contracts are secured on and off framework?
A small number of care homes are contracted via a framework and others via spot purchase arrangements.All home care packages are spot purchased.Birmingham South Central CCG does not hold information relating to the percentages of contracts held within a framework.
8) Please provide the average no. of patients receiving CHC and FNC funding in the last
financial year, and a breakdown for each category:
a. CHC Patients: 221
b. FNC Patients: 491
9) Please provide the total number of suppliers that the CCGs uses for CHC & FNC,
split by:
a. Residential Homes: I can confirm that the information that we hold does not
distinguish between residential and nursing homes, so all are included below.
b. Nursing Homes: 187
c.Homecare Agencies: 90
d. Other (please specify): 13 (transport and equipment)
10) Please state the average number of care packages in the last financial year, split by:
a. Residential Homes: 0 - Please see note above in 9) a.
b. Nursing Homes: 126
c.Homecare Agencies: 86
d. Other (please specify): 9
I trust that this answers your queries with the information we currently hold, but if I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original letter and should be addressed to
Arden & GEM Commissioning Support Unit
FOI TEAM
If you are not content with the outcome of the review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the review procedure provided by the CCG.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, telephone 0845 630 6060, email
The FOIA gives a right of access to information but no right to re-use it. Datasets provided may be subject to Intellectual Property Rights and the re-use of datasets requires permission. Please contact usif you intend to re-use information provided by us.
For the conditions of re-use please refer to the Open Government License for public sector information: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/2/
Yours faithfully
Cherry Dale
Chief Operating Officer
Birmingham South Central CCG
Tel: 0121 255 0863
Email:
Chair: Dr Andrew Coward
Vice-Chair: Denise Plumpton
Clinical Vice-Chair: Dr Raj Ramachandram