FOI/25/113

Request

Please can you provide the below information:

In the period 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2024 please provide a breakdown of:

· Total trust spend with framework agencies for locum nurses

Please provide a further breakdown for locum nurses by:

· Spend per band

· Spend per agency name

In the period 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2024 please provide a breakdown of:

· Total trust spend with off framework agencies for locum nurses

Please provide a further breakdown for locum nurses by:

· Spend per band

· Spend per agency name

In the period 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2024 please provide a breakdown of:

· Total trust spend with the internal trust bank or associated external provider for locum nurses

Please provide a further breakdown for locum nurses by:

· Spend per band

· Spend per agency name

Please confirm the total number of nursing shifts booked during this period (1st January 2024 to 30th June 2024)

Please confirm the total number of nursing shifts booked above NHSE capped rates during this period (1st January 2024 to 30th June 2024)

Response

The figures provided are an overall figure to the information requested.  This includes all staff bandings. We are Unable to provide you with details for Agency Names as this has been deemed as commercially sensitive.  See below:

Nursing

Framework - 2.1m

Off- Framework - 60k

Bank - 2.2m

Total number of shifts  booked between 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2024 – 49,642

Section 43 – Commercial Interest

Section 43(2) exempts information whose disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (an individual, a company, the public authority itself or any other legal entity). Disclosure of the requested information could prejudice pending or future negotiations the CLCH may be subject to.

This is a qualified exemption under the FOIA, which means that consideration must also be given to whether in all the circumstances of the case the public interest favouring disclosure is greater than the public interest in maintaining the exemption. The public interest means what is in the best interests of the public not what is of interest to the public.

Factors in favour of discloser:  

• Disclosing information relating to [information to question 3 , 4C & 5] would promote accountability and transparency by showing how CLCH receive and spend public money. 

Factors in favour of non-disclosure: 

• Disclosing the [information related to agency names] would undermine our competitive position in the marketplace. 
• Disclosing the [information related to agency names] would compromise the commercial activities of CLCH, as it would compromise its ability to negotiate competitive future deals.

Having considered the above, we maintain that the factors in favour of upholding the exemption outweigh the factors in favour of disclosure. Therefore, the balance of the public interest test is greater in maintaining the exemption available under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.