Freedom of Information request FOI 150-2024

Response published: 24 October 2024

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FOI Request

I am writing under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act (2000). The following questions concern the trust’s complaints handling responsibilities governed by the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009), the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (the 2009 and 2014 Regulations) and expectations to provide Patient Advocacy and Liaison Services (PALS) under the terms of the Health and Social Care Act (2001). I would like to request the following information. 1. What budget (in £) did the trust allocate to Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) in the following financial years (If no separate PALS budget exists, please provide an estimate based on approximate funds spent on PALS related activity)?: a. 2019/20 (1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020) b. 2020/21 (1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021) c. 2021/22 (1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022) d. 2022/23 (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023) e. 2023/24 (1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024) 2. How many FTE staff were employed as part of your PALS service in the following months (If staff members work across PALS and other duties, please provide an estimate based on approximate staff time spent on PALS-related activity)?: a. 1 March 2019 (or nearest possible date, please state) b. 1 March 2020 (or nearest possible date, please state) c. 1 March 2021 (or nearest possible date, please state) d. 1 March 2022 (or nearest possible date, please state) e. 1 March 2023 (or nearest possible date, please state) f. 1 March 2024 (or nearest possible date, please state) 3. How many FTE staff were employed to work on complaints handling in the following months (If staff members work across complaints handling and other duties, please provide an estimate based on approximate staff time spent on complaints related activity)? a. 1 March 2019 (or nearest possible date, please state) b. 1 March 2020 (or nearest possible date, please state) c. 1 March 2021 (or nearest possible date, please state) d. 1 March 2022 (or nearest possible date, please state) e. 1 March 2023 (or nearest possible date, please state) f. 1 March 2024 (or nearest possible date, please state)

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FOI Response

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

You asked:

1. What budget (in £) did the trust allocate to Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) in the following financial years (If no separate PALS budget exists, please provide an estimate based on approximate funds spent on PALS related activity)?

a. 2019/20 (1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020)

b. 2020/21 (1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021)

c. 2021/22 (1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022)

d. 2022/23 (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023)

e. 2023/24 (1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024)

Our response:

Budget Years	Budget (£)
2019/20	NK
2020/21	NK
2021/22	321,276
2022/23	316,333
2023/24	346,676

Note 1: Due to a change in our financial accounting system in 2021 we no longer hold budget information for 2019/20 and 2020/21, we therefore are unable to answer your question in respect of those years.

Note 2: The Complaints and PALS team is a combined multidisciplinary team, the budget is set and reported on as one. We do not hold the information in a way that would allow us to separate out the budget between Complaints and PALS.

Note 3: The FOI legislation does not require an organisation to produce a report that answer a question if the information is not held, we therefore are unable to provide you with an estimate.

You asked:

2. How many FTE staff were employed as part of your PALS service in the following months (If staff members work across PALS and other duties, please provide an estimate based on approximate staff time spent on PALS-related activity)?

a. 1 March 2019 (or nearest possible date, please state)

b. 1 March 2020 (or nearest possible date, please state)

c. 1 March 2021 (or nearest possible date, please state)

d. 1 March 2022 (or nearest possible date, please state)

e. 1 March 2023 (or nearest possible date, please state)

f. 1 March 2024 (or nearest possible date, please state)

3. How many FTE staff were employed to work on complaints handling in the following months (If staff members work across complaints handling and other duties, please provide an estimate based on approximate staff time spent on complaints related activity)?