FOI/2025/26/327

Request

Request for Information: I request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding temporary worker usage for communications roles.

 

Definition of Scope: For the purposes of this request, "communications" refers to any function or team managed, hosted, or funded through the Trust’s structures (including work performed for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), regional partnerships, or shared service models) that encompasses:

 

Internal or external communications functions;

 

Media relations or the Press Office;

 

Social media management and digital content;

 

Marketing and brand management (where these sit within the communications structure).

 

Definition of Personnel: For the purposes of this request, the term "agency" refers to all temporary or non-permanent staff, including those engaged via an external recruitment agency, a Managed Service Provider (MSP), or the Trust’s internal "Staff Bank" where such an arrangement exists.

 

Timing and Cooperation: To ensure the data provided is accurate and aligned with your internal reporting cycles, I am happy to allow the necessary time for your teams to complete the December 2025 (Month 9) month-end close before running these reports. I recognise that the holiday period may impact administrative capacity and I seek a collaborative approach to ensure the provision of a complete and reconciled dataset.

 

Please provide the following data:

 

1. 2025/26 Actuals and Outturn Forecast

 

1a. Provide the total number of days a temporary worker was employed via an agency or bank for the communications roles defined above from 1 April 2025 to the end of the December 2025 (Month 9) reporting period. (If data is only held in hours, please provide the total hours and specify the standard working day length).

 

1b. Provide the current projected year-end outturn for the total number of agency/bank days for these roles for the full 2025/26 financial year (ending 31 March 2026).

 

1c. Provide a breakdown of these days by Agenda for Change (AfC) Band or job title.

 

2. 2026/27 Planned Requirements

 

2a. Provide the total number of days currently budgeted or forecasted for agency-provided or bank communications staff for the 2026/27 financial year.

 

2b. Funding and Management Qualifier: This request explicitly includes all agency and bank requirements managed or funded through the Trust, regardless of whether the end-user is the Trust itself, an ICB, or a regional partnership.

 

2c. Financial Qualifier: Note that I am requesting the currently held financial forecasts and draft budget allocations for 2026/27 as they exist at the time of this request. If these forecasts do not yet segment requirements by specific band, please provide the overall forecasted budget for temporary staffing within the communications function.

 

Public Interest and Statutory Compliance: This information is requested to ensure transparency regarding the use of public funds and the efficiency of NHS staffing structures. There is a clear and compelling public interest in disclosure regarding how authorities manage workforce budgets and their reliance on non-permanent staffing models.

 

Requirement for Third-Party Data: If this information is held on your behalf by a Managed Service Provider (MSP) or Master Vendor, note that under Section 3(2)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this information is deemed to be held by the public authority. I respectfully request you immediately retrieve this data from your provider to fulfill this request without delay.

 

Format of Response: Provide this data in a machine-readable format (Excel or CSV). Please include separate columns for: "Band/Role Title," "Actual Days (YTD)," "Forecasted Outturn (25/26)," and "Planned Requirement (26/27)."

 

To ensure full compliance and avoid data processing delays, provide the requested information in a machine-readable Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) or CSV format, specifically organized into separate columns for Role Title, Actual Days (YTD), Forecasted Outturn (25/26), and Planned Requirement (26/27).

 

Cost of Compliance If you estimate the cost of compliance will exceed the statutory limit, please prioritize the data for Section 1 (2025/26). Under Section 16, please advise how I might refine the remainder of the request to bring it within the limit.

 

Response

The Trust confirms that no communications roles were filled via agency or bank arrangements during the period 1 April 2025 to December 2025. As a result, there are no agency or bank days, hours, or forecast requirements to report for the periods requested.