Trust HQ
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Brockworth
Gloucester
GL3 4AW
Tel: 0300 421 8100
E-mail: freedomofinformation@ghc.nhs.uk Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk
Date: 16th August 2022
Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 198-2022
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below:
I am requesting the following information on the NHS discharge medicine service DMS., which became a nationally commissioned service on 15 February 2021.
1. When did your trust begin referring patients through the NHS DMS? – Currently we are not referring patients through NHS DMS
2. How many patients has your trust referred to community pharmacies through the DMS between 15 February 2021 and 14 July 2022? – None
a. How many patients has your trust discharged in total within this timeframe? – 310,687 The figures are based on a unique count of patients NHS numbers during this period and include:
– Mental health MH. and Physical health PH. Community services patients including IAPT.
– MH and PH inpatient admissions.
– Patients seen in Minor Injury and Illness Units MIIUs..
The figures exclude patients seen in:
– Sexual health services.
– Dental services.
Sexual Health and Dental services use standalone clinical systems where NHS numbers are not a mandatory field. We have excluded this data to ensure we only count a patient once per financial year, as the count is based on NHS numbers. 3. According to national guidance for operating the DMS, trusts are responsible for developing their own eligibility criteria for patients referred through the service that meet “local population needs” see page 13.. Please could you supply a copy of your trust’s eligibility criteria for referring patients through the DMS? – at present
Should you have any queries in relation to our response in this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. 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: –
– Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth
GLOUCESTER GL3 4AW
——-
E-mail: —
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.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Officer
On behalf of Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust
FOI Request
Under the freedom of information act 2000, I am requesting the following information on the NHS discharge medicine service DMS., which became a nationally commissioned service on 15 February 2021.
1. When did your trust begin referring patients through the NHS DMS?
2. How many patients has your trust referred to community pharmacies through the DMS between 15 February 2021 and 14 July 2022?
a. How many patients has your trust discharged in total within this timeframe?
3. According to national guidance for operating the DMS, trusts are responsible for developing their own eligibility criteria for patients referred through the service that meet “local population needs” see page 13.. Please could you supply a copy of your trust’s eligibility criteria for referring patients through the DMS?
Please provide the information by email. If it is not possible to provide the information requested due to the information exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in Section 12, please provide advice and assistance, under the Section 16 obligations of the Act, as to how I can refine my request.
If you can identify any ways that my request could be refined, I would be grateful for any further advice and assistance.
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email and I will be very happy to clarify what I am asking for and discuss the request.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response within 20 working days.