Info re Alison Issot & £50 GF pasta

[kickingfrog]

I sent an email to Alison Issot asking for details of her claim about very expensive GF scrips.

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To: Alison Issott (NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent)

Subject: NHS costs

Dear Ms Issott,
Please give full details of one packet of gluten free pasta supplied to a diagnosed coeliac by the NHS which cost £50 (as reported in the national press).


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A reply came from :

Pam Marriott
Freedom of Information Act Case Manager
NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent


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.........

29 July 2011

Corporate Office

Brook House,

Reeves Way,

Chestfield

Kent - CT5 3QT

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone] (not for service)


Our Ref: FOI.2011-238

......

RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

I am writing in response to your request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 received on 11 July 2011. The information that you requested is
listed below together with a response in each case:


Please give full details of one packet of gluten free pasta supplied to a diagnosed
coeliac by the NHS which cost £50 (as reported in the national press).


NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent does not hold this information. Any transaction between
a GP, a patient and a Pharmacist does not relate to data held by the PCT. Our only
involvement is that we reimburse legally claimed prescription charges to the Pharmacist
and that we have revised the rules on what is acceptable as a prescription charge to be
reimbursed.

It is the delivery and handling charges, invoiced from pharmacies as “out of pocket
expenses” but without details of the manufacturer and wholesaler that have formed the
basis of the high cost quoted.
As per the request, the packet of pasta was supplied by a
Pharmacist and not by the NHS. All Pharmacists are independent organisations.

Therefore we did not supply the pasta and although the PCT can obtain details of what
products are prescribed on individual prescriptions, we cannot supply any details on
what pasta was supplied through which wholesaler and with what add-on costs. We
have merely changed the rules about what will be reimbursed.

I hope that this has dealt fully with your questions but if you are not satisfied with the
way your request has been dealt with please feel free to contact me in the first instance.
If you remain dissatisfied you may approach our Chief Executive in writing at:


Chief Executive

NHS West Kent

Wharf House

Medway Wharf Road

Tonbridge

Kent

TN9 1RE
Should you remain dissatisfied with the outcome you have the right under s50 of the
Freedom of Information Act to appeal against the decision by contacting:


The Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

SK9 5AF

Tel: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]


Yours sincerely

Jamie Sheldrake

Information Governance Manager


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[kickingfrog]

More from Pam:


....
The information is held by the pharmacies who have been invoiced by either the manufacturer (not all, but definitely some) as a delivery charge or the wholesaler (as a handling charge) for lines that the wholesaler does not routinely stock.

The PCT does not receive the details of individual transactions but the community pharmacy claims for “out of pocket expenses”

The PCTs across the SEC are working with local wholesalers to agree a range of products that they will stock and so reduce these handling charges.
Hope this helps

Pam
Pam Marriott
Freedom of Information Act Case Manager
NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent