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FOI release

FOI – 000109 NSS secretariat support for National Stoma Quality Improvement SLWG and their subsequent report (HTML)

Published on 08 June 2022

Date received – 10 May 2022 | Date responded – 08 June 2022

Request

Could I please submit the following FOI.

NSS provided secretariat and project management support to the National Stoma Quality Improvement SLWG working group and their subsequent report.

In the Terms of Reference (Section 3.0 i) of this group it was stated that NSS would be providing a wide range of supports and actions to the group.

  1. NSS provided Risk Management to the group. Can I be provided with all reports and any advice regarding Risk Management that NSS provided to the group or anyone within the group.

  2. In Section 4.0 e of the Terms of Reference it states that a declaration of interest will be collated by secretariat/project manager at all meetings. As NSS provided secretariat and project management could I be given all declaration of interests for all participants and for all meetings that the group had.

  3. Could I be provided with all minutes of meetings of the SLWG and sub groups.

  4. In Section 2.4 of the Terms of Reference it states the SLWG will provide regular reports to the Scottish Deputy Nurse Director Group (SDNDG) and the Clinical Lead on the Procurement Transformation Board (Send Representative). As NSS was providing Secretariat and Project Management I would request a copy of these regular reports that were sent. Could I also ask for details so that I could contact SDNDG and the Procurement Transformation Board (they are not the easiest to find or contact).

  5. As NSS was involved as secretariat and project management with the SLWG, this group had a sub group and created a paper by the Scottish Stoma Clinical Nurse Specialist Group (Effective Use of Support Garments for Parastomal Hernia Results of Short Life Working Group) June 2019. Could I be given a copy of this paper and its appendices.

  6. The Scottish Stoma Clinical Nurse Specialist Group report Effective Use of Support Garments for Parastomal Hernia Results of Shot Life Working Group (June 2019) contact for the report was Alice Macleod. Alice Macleod was the senior nurse within NSS. Clearly NSS was heavily involved in this report. Could I ask for all minutes and agendas for when this group met while developing this report. I believe Alice Macleod is no longer in employment within the NHS, however this would be no reason for why any documentation is not available now as I would imagine NSS do not get rid of all the work an employee has done when they leave their employment.

  7. Regarding FOI request 6, could I be provided with the terms of reference for this group.

Response

I refer to your freedom of information request that we received on 10 May 2022.

NSS provided secretariat and project management support to the National Stoma Quality Improvement SLWG working group and their subsequent report.

In the Terms of Reference (Section 3.0 i) of this group it was stated that NSS would be providing a wide range of supports and actions to the group.

I can advise you that we have now completed the search of our records and can provide you with the following information:

1. NSS provided Risk Management to the group. Can I be provided with all reports and any advice regarding Risk Management that NSS provided to the group or anyone within the group.

I have attached the following appendix:

A1 – NSQIG Risk Register01

2. In Section 4.0 e of the Terms of Reference it states that a declaration of interest will be collated by secretariat/project manager at all meetings. As NSS provided secretariat and project management could I be given all declaration of interests for all participants and for all meetings that the group had.

I have attached the following appendix:

A2 – NSQIG DOI Register 180318

3. Could I be provided with all minutes of meetings of the SLWG and sub groups.

Under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act an organisation does not require to provide information if it does not hold that information. NHS National Services Scotland does not hold some of this information. We can provide the following appendices (Chronologically where possible). Where we have provided Agendas and appendices and we have been unable to locate the minutes/actions of such meetings, these are followed by (*).

Regarding the Appendices for “Data SG WBS” we have been unable to locate a version 4 but have provided version 5 and version 5 updated.

Some of the documentation includes personal data of third parties, specifically, names of individuals which have not been released into the public domain on any previous FOIs or literature regarding this topic. Where this is the case, these names and contact details have been redacted in line with exception (Section 38 (1)(b)) of the FOISA.

4. In Section 2.4 of the Terms of Reference it states the SLWG will provide regular reports to the Scottish Deputy Nurse Director Group (SDNDG) and the Clinical Lead on the Procurement Transformation Board (Send Representative). As NSS was providing Secretariat and Project Management I would request a copy of these regular reports that were sent. Could I also ask for details so that I could contact SDNDG and the Procurement Transformation Board (they are not the easiest to find or contact).

Under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act an organisation does not require to provide information if it does not hold that information. NHS National Services Scotland does not hold this information. Some updates would have been given verbally. We can provide you with the below appendices, some of which are SBARs from before the project commenced. The Procurement Transformation Board (PTB) was a temporary project that has now been disbanded. The associate nurse directors’ group is still in existence and the current contact is lynn.barker@nhs.scot.

Below is an extract from the SEND meeting which Craig Stewart and Alice MacLeod presented at in November 2019:

National Stoma Group

"A MacLeod and C Stewart entered the meeting.

  • J Reilly explained that the work had been commissioned by SEND and a working group had been set up, with wider engagement with stakeholders including the Directors of Pharmacy.
  • The Group found that there was a variance in approach, and were concerned over under (or over) use of products, and lack of data, and acknowledged an opportunity to improve efficiency.
  • A pilot had been run with four healthboards, and it was noted that there was a large amount of waste with packaging and products not being used or returned to pharmacies.
  • There were 15 recommendations which were endorsed. Stoma Group to report back in 6 months time (Action 5: J Reilly/Future Agenda).
  • SEND discussed whether this programme should be brought under Excellence in Care but agreed that this was not appropriate at this time.
  • It was proposed that this should also be linked with the development day in January 2020 in relation to Value.

A MacLeod and C Stewart left the meeting “

Due to the pandemic, they were unable to provide a subsequent report.

5. As NSS was involved as secretariat and project management with the SLWG, this group had a sub group and created a paper by the Scottish Stoma Clinical Nurse Specialist Group (Effective Use of Support Garments for Parastomal Hernia Results of Short Life Working Group) June 2019. Could I be given a copy of this paper and its appendices.

6. The Scottish Stoma Clinical Nurse Specialist Group report Effective Use of Support Garments for Parastomal Hernia Results of Shot Life Working Group (June 2019) contact for the report was Alice Macleod. Alice Macleod was the senior nurse within NSS. Clearly NSS was heavily involved in this report. Could I ask for all minutes and agendas for when this group met while developing this report. I believe Alice Macleod is no longer in employment within the NHS, however this would be no reason for why any documentation is not available now as I would imagine NSS do not get rid of all the work an employee has done when they leave their employment.

Please see appendices for response to question 3.

7. Regarding FOI request 6, could I be provided with the terms of reference for this group.

See Appendix A61 - (1a) Scottish Stoma Nurse Specialist Group ToRv2.0 am – approved version.

I trust you will find the information of assistance and if you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you are unhappy with any aspect of how we have dealt with your request you can make representations to us asking us to review the handling of your request. Please get in touch with us using the following contact details within 40 working days of the date of this correspondence:

NHS National Services Scotland
Headquarters
Gyle Square
1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB

Email: nss.foi@nhs.scot

If after a review you are still unhappy, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner, who can be contacted at Kinburn Castle, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, or via their online application form.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact us at the above address.