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Responses > 159-2024

Freedom of Information request 159-2024

Response published: 28 November 2024

FOI Request

This is in relation to the use of social value weighting of 10 per cent in your procurement of goods and services, which has been mandated by government for NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts since April 2022. Please send me:
1. What methods do you use to measure social value from your procurements? Please include any additional measurement methods you use (e.g. TOMs) as well as the NHS Social Value Model.
2. What is the total social value accrued by your procurement activities each year from April 2022, according to how you measure and report this at a corporate level? If possible, can you provide any explanatory notes to explain how you have measured this? 3. Do you use financial proxies to monetise the measurement of social value, such as social local economic value? If so:
1. a. Please specify the method or measure you use to monetise the measurement of social value
1. b. Please provide the total number of contracts to which you applied this financial proxy each financial year since April 2022
1. c. Please provide the total value of those contracts
1. d. Please provide the total monetized social value of those contracts
1. e. Please provide the total value of all contracts let during that same period
4. How much in total have you spent in procurement on local business/organisations, each financial year, since April 2022? Please including your definition of a local business/organisation, if you have one.
5. How much have you spent on SMEs each FY since April 2022? The government defines an SME as a company with fewer than 250 employees, turnover under €50m and balance sheet under €43. If the trust has a different definition then please provide it.
6. How much have you spent on VCSEs each FY since April 2022? Again, please include your definition of a VCSE if you have one.

FOI Response

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: 159-2024

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.

You asked:

What methods do you use to measure social value from your procurements? Please include any additional measurement methods you use (e.g. TOMs) as well as the NHS Social Value Model.

Our response:

The method of measuring Social Value is relevant to the particular procurement, there is not a standard list of questions asked.

You asked:

What is the total social value accrued by your procurement activities each year from April 2022, according to how you measure and report this at a corporate level? If possible, can you provide any explanatory notes to explain how you have measured this?

Our response:

The weighting criteria is specific to the nature contract and normally there is a 10% blend of sustainability and social value criteria/questions to suppliers. We do not use a social value model to measure the responses, they are scored independently by a panel within the Trust i.e. the client and associated stakeholders.

You asked:

Do you use financial proxies to monetise the measurement of social value, such as social local economic value? If so:

Please specify the method or measure you use to monetise the measurement of social value
Please provide the total number of contracts to which you applied this financial proxy each financial year since April 2022
Please provide the total value of those contracts
Please provide the total monetized social value of those contracts
Please provide the total value of all contracts let during that same period

Our response:

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust do not have this information.

You asked:

How much in total have you spent in procurement on local business/organisations, each financial year, since April 2022? Please including your definition of a local business/organisation, if you have one.

Our response:

There is no Trust definition of a local supplier, as it is all relevant to the line of business. However out of 3,156 suppliers on the Trust financial system 987 have a Gloucestershire post code (31.27%).

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust are unable to provide financial spend information for each GL postcode supplier due to the length of time this would take to individually run each report. 

You asked:

How much have you spent on SMEs each FY since April 2022? The government defines an SME as a company with fewer than 250 employees, turnover under €50m and balance sheet under €43. If the trust has a different definition then please provide it.

Our response:

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust contract register does not indicate which companies are SMEs, therefore are unable to provide this information. 

You asked:

How much have you spent on VCSEs each FY since April 2022? Again, please include your definition of a VCSE if you have one.

Our response:

2022/23                       452,647

2023/24                      1,214,643

2024/25 (to date)        312,005

Next steps:

Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:

Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.