FOI/2025/26/182

Request

Please can I request the following information for your Trust under the Freedom of Information Act please. Where information is unavailable or too difficult to obtain for one question please could you provide information for any other questions where the information is available:

 

1. The name of the supplier/s who service your weighing devices (baby scales, chair scales, floor scales, column scales, patient transfer scales, bench scales for example). How many weighing devices are covered by this contract.

 

1,365 weighing devices are serviced and maintained by MTS, our maintenance provider.

 

2. A list of these devices stating make/model How many addresses are covered by this contract?

 

The table below lists the devices that are used across the Trust. As a community provider, these devices will move between clinical locations and also be used in community settings such as patient’s homes.

 

Manufacturer	Model
Bewer	PS240
Character Electronics	DP2400
Faraday	850BT MK III
Liko	FG2835MLF
LIKOSCALE 350
Marsden	384
4201
520 30
DP2400
DP2400 V5
DP3600
DP3600/M220
DP3800
DP3810
DP3810/M-210
M110
M125
M200
M-210
M220
M225
M300
M400
M410
M420
M402L
M420BT
M430
M510
M530
M540
M545
M-550
M600
M601-1
M-605
M-610
M-615
M61D
M620
M650
M700
MPDC-120
MPDC-250
MPMS-250
MPWS-300
MS4200
MS4201
MS4202
MS42022
MS4202L
MS4203
MS6110 (M500)
RS Components	KERN CM 1KIN
Salter Medical	145 BKDR
SECA	285
336
376
384
385
685
701
702
704
724
757
761
797
799
834
835
875
877
899
955
956
958
959
3857017099
384-2
834-2
M17
M600
M645
TANITA	BWB-600
HD357
T6360
WB100MA
Weylux weighing	850B

 

3. What standard (or average) price per scale do you pay for servicing

 

Section 43(2) (Commercial Interests)

 

4. The date that the servicing contract ends.

 

The servicing contract is due to end in March 2026.

 

5. The value of total spends on weighing devices (split between patient weighing and other) excluding servicing in the last 3 calendar years split by year; split by each site/address

 

Section 43(2) (Commercial Interests)

 

6. The value of that spend by weighing device supplier in the last 3 calendar years split by year

 

Section 43(2) (Commercial Interests)

 

7. Do you have any weighing devices integrated directly or indirectly to an electronic patient records system (EPR)?

 

No

 

8. Which electronic patient records system do you use/plan to use?

 

SystmOne, EMIS, Kodak R4 and Lillie are currently utilised by services across the Trust.

 

9. If you haven’t done so already, do you intend to integrate weighing scales to an EPR in the next 12-24 months?

 

No.

 

10. Do you use Welch Allen Vital signs monitors in the Trust, if so, how many and are any of these connected to weighing devices?

 

Yes, the Trust has 198 such devices. None are connected to weighing devices.

 

11. How many suppliers were invited to tender/were considered for your current contract?

 

Exemption under Section 40(2).

 

Under section 40 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, a public authority does not have to provide information where that information is considered personal information under the Data Protection Act 2018. We believe that, because of the low number of patients involved and the potential for them to be identified when combined with other available information, the information you have requested falls into this category, and therefore will not be supplying this as a result. The actual figure has been replaced with <5. 

<5 suppliers were invited on the bid as part of an open tender process

 

12. What was the decision criteria with regard to the current contract including any weighting? 

 

60% Quality and 40% Total price.

 

Section 43(2) (Commercial Interests)

 

The Trust has refused to make any disclosures in relation to questions 2, 4 and 5 of your request, as these are deemed to be commercially sensitive information. This request is therefore part refused and is subject to a refusal notice under s43 (2) (Commercial Interests) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

 

Public Interest Test

 

Section 43 is a qualified exemption which is subject to the Public Interest Test. The Trust must therefore weigh up whether it is in the public interest to disclose or withhold the information.

 

While there is a general public interest in the disclosure of information – as greater transparency makes public bodies more accountable – consideration must be given to the commercial interests of the Trust and to the third parties it deals with to ensure the relationship is not prejudiced, undermined or damaged in any way.

 

The Trust considers that such a disclosure would prejudice the commercial interests of the Trust and the suppliers who provide these services. A disclosure under the legislation is a disclosure to the world at large. If the cost to the Trust were disclosed it would give other companies, with similar services, a competitive advantage that would put our own suppliers at a disadvantage. This would make it more difficult for an NHS Trust to negotiate a fair price in the future and could result in other companies raising their prices.

 

While the Trust is aware that disclosure of such information would further the public understanding of how NHS money is spent, the Trust finds, at this time, that the public interest in withholding the pricing information outweighs the public interest in disclosure. It is on this basis that your request is part refused.