Freedom of Information Act (FOI): Model Publication Scheme

This document complies with the requirements of the Information Commissioner's Model Publication Scheme for Healthcall Optical Services Ltd in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and fulfils the obligations on opticians' practices under the Act.

Introduction

This is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by Healthcall Optical Services Ltd. It is a description of the information about our NHS services that we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals.

How is the information made available?

The information within each Class is available in hard copy from:

Healthcall Optical Services Ltd
Unit 5 Titan Court
Laporte Way
Luton
LU4 8EF
or can be printed from this website. www.healthcalloptical.co.uk

This guide information

We will publish any changes we make to this guide or relevant information. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions to publications already available.

Cost of Information
For the most part, we will only charge for hard copies, or copies onto media. Charges are as follows and will be reviewed regularly.

Accessed from our website- free of charge
Single hard copies- free of charge
As the Freedom of Information Act applies to the provision of information, a request for multiple hard copies does not fall within the provisions of the Act and will attract a charge for retrieval, photocopying and postage. We will inform you of the cost of these charges that will have to be paid in advance.
E-mail will be free of charge.

Your Rights to Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to promote openness and accountability amongst all organisations that receive public money.

Like all NHS contractors, since 1 January 2005 there has been a FOI obligation on optical practices to respond to requests about the NHS related information that they hold, and a right of access to that information has been established in law.

These rights are subject to exemptions (see below) that have to be taken into consideration before releasing information.

In addition to accessing the information identified in this guide, you are entitled to request information about our NHS services under the NHS Openness Code 1995.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you and you can contact any practice where your records are held to do this.

Feedback

If you have any comments about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the scheme, please write to:

Healthcall Optical Services Ltd

Unit 5 Titan Court
Laporte Way
Luton
LU4 8EF

Classes of Information

All NHS information at Healthcall Optical Services Ltd is held, retained and destroyed within NHS guidelines. Our commitment to publish information excludes any information that can be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or Freedom of Information Act 2000, the main reasons being the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This scheme has been written in accordance with those exemptions. The information on this Scheme is grouped into the following categories:

1) Who we are and what we do

Company background
List of branches including contact phone numbers
Details of the opticians and optometrists employed at our branches can be obtained by contacting that branch directly.
Alternatively, details of all opticians and optometrists registered in the UK are available from the General Optical Council www.optical.org Tel: 0207 580 3898.
Company Registration number

2) Financial and funding information: what we spend and how we spend it

For every sight test performed on behalf of the NHS the Company receives a set fee, which is fixed nationally. The fees paid by the NHS for each service are available from the branch on request. They include a contribution towards optometrists' and staff salaries, equipment costs and other practice overheads. Information in this class will be published only where it is unlikely adversely to affect the commercial position of the firm or practice

3) Our Priorities

To provide our patients with high quality eye care

4) Decision Making

Any decisions made about the provision of NHS-funded services will be reflected in the services we provide and in the contract(s) held with the Local PCT/LHB.

5) Our policies and procedures

Complaints
Data protection
Health and safety

They are available on request from our contact address

Complaints
If you have a complaint about any of our products or services, please do discuss any problems with the manager at the branch concerned in the first instance. We find that most issues can be put right at this stage.

If the matter cannot be resolved in this way or you are unsatisfied with the response you receive please contact us on 01582 390825. A full copy of our complaints policy is available on request and can be found in Class 6.

6) Lists and Registers

We don't keep lists and registers. Our patient records are confidential.

7) The Services We Offer

All our branches provide domiciliary NHS-funded sight tests for those who are eligible. Patients may also be entitled to NHS vouchers that can be used against the purchase of spectacles or contact lenses as required.

Appointments for sight tests can be booked over the phone, On 0845 6017241

Regular publications and information for the public
Information about optical and ocular conditions, sight tests, spectacles, and contact lenses, can be found on www.healthcalloptical.co.uk and on a number of other websites including www.college-optometrists.org

Some of this information is also available in patient leaflets. These are freely available from all our branches. To request a set of leaflets by post, please write to our contact address.

Useful Resources

Websites:
Information Commissioner
www.ico.gov.uk
Ministry of Justice
http://www.justice.gov.uk/whatwedo/freedomofinformation.htm

Publications:
NHS Openness Code
www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/codemain.htm
Freedom of Information Act 2000
www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000036.htm

January 2009

Copyright:

Material available through this publication scheme is copyright unless otherwise indicated. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium, provided it is done so accurately in a manner that will not mislead. Where items are re-published or copied to others, you must identify the source and acknowledge copyright status. This permit does not extend to third party material, accessed through the scheme.

For HMSO Guidance notes on FOI publication schemes see www.hmso.gov.uk/guides.htm.