Freedom of Information Policy

Freedom of Information Act (FOI)

This document complies with the requirements of the Information Commissioner’s Model Publication Scheme for Bridle opticians in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and fulfils the obligations on opticians’ practices under the Act.

Introduction
This is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by Bridle opticians. It is a description of the information about our NHS services that we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals.

How is the information made available?
The information within each Class is available in hard copy from:

David Bridle
Bridle opticians
112 Felpham Road
Felpham PO22 7PR

This guide information
We will publish any changes we make to this guide or relevant information. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions to publications already available.

Cost of Information
For the most part, we will only charge for hard copies, or copies onto media. Charges are as follows and will be reviewed regularly.
• Single hard copies – free of charge
• As the Freedom of Information Act applies to the provision of information, a request for multiple hard copies does not fall within the provisions of the Act and will attract a charge for retrieval, photocopying and postage. We will inform you of the cost of these charges that will have to be paid in advance.
• E-mail will be free of charge.

Your Rights to Information
• The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to promote openness and accountability amongst all organisations that receive public money.

• Like all NHS contractors, since 1 January 2005 there has been a FOI obligation on optical practices to respond to requests about the NHS related information that they hold, and a right of access to that information has been established in law.

• These rights are subject to exemptions (see below) that have to be taken into consideration before releasing information.

• In addition to accessing the information identified in this guide, you are entitled to request information about our NHS services under the NHS Openness Code 1995.

• Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you and you can contact any practice where your records are held to do this.

Feedback
If you have any comments about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the scheme, please write to:

David Bridle
Bridle opticians, 112 Felpham Road, PO22 7PR

Classes of Information
All NHS information at Bridle opticians is held, retained and destroyed within NHS guidelines. Our commitment to publish information excludes any information that can be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or Freedom of Information Act 2000, the main reasons being the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This scheme has been written in accordance with those exemptions. The information on this Scheme is grouped into the following categories:

1) Who we are and what we do
• Company/Practice background
• Bridle opticians 16 Shore Road East Wittering PO20 8DZ 01243 671717
• Bridle opticians 112 Felpham Road Felpham Village PO22 7PR 01243 823467
• Details of the opticians and optometrists employed in our practices can be obtained by contacting that practice directly.
• Alternatively, details of all opticians and optometrists registered in the UK are available from the General Optical Council www.optical.org Tel: 0207 580 3898.
• Company Registration number 4837311

2) Financial and funding information: what we spend and how we spend it
For every sight test performed on behalf of the NHS the practice receives a set fee, which is fixed nationally. This practice also carries out the following enhanced services on behalf of the NHS: Glaucoma Referral Refinement. The fees paid by the NHS for each service are available from the practice on request. They include a contribution towards optometrists’ and staff salaries, equipment costs and other practice overheads. Information in this class will be published only where it is unlikely adversely to affect the commercial position of the firm or practice

3) Our Priorities
To provide our patients with high quality eye care

4) Decision Making
Any decisions made about the provision of NHS-funded services will be reflected in the services we provide and in the contract(s) held with NHS England.

5) Our policies and procedures
• Complaints
• Data protection
• Health and safety

are available on request from David Bridle, Bridle opticians 112 Felpham Road PO22 7PR

Complaints
If you have a complaint about any of our products or services, please do discuss any problems with the manager at the practice concerned in the first instance. We find that most issues can be put right at this stage.

If the matter cannot be resolved in this way or you are unsatisfied with the response you receive please contact David Bridle on 01243671717. A full copy of our complaints policy is available on request.

6) Lists and Registers
We don’t keep lists and registers. Our patient records are confidential.

7) The Services We Offer
Both our practices provide NHS-funded sight tests for those who are eligible. Patients may also be entitled to NHS vouchers that can be used against the purchase of spectacles or contact lenses as required. To find out if you are eligible for this assistance please ask for details in any of our practices.

The practice also provides the following NHS-funded enhanced services
Sight tests
Glaucoma referral refinement
Appointments for sight tests can be booked over the phone, or by dropping into one of our practices. The contact details for our practices are:

16 Shore Road, East Wittering PO20 8DZ 01243 671717
112 Felpham Road, Felpham village, PO22 7PR

Opening times can vary between practices, so please call to confirm.

Regular publications and information for the public
Information about optical and ocular conditions, sight tests, spectacles, and contact lenses, can be found on www.bridleopticians.co.uk and www.college-optometrists.org

Some of this information is also available in patient leaflets. These are freely available from both our practices. To request a set of leaflets by post, please write to:

David Bridle
Bridle opticians
112 Felpham Road
Felpham PO22 7PR

Useful Resources

Websites:
• Information Commissioner
www.ico.gov.uk
• Ministry of Justice
http://www.justice.gov.uk/whatwedo/freedomofinformation.htm

Publications:
• NHS Openness Code
www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/codemain.htm
• Freedom of Information Act 2000
www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000036.htm

January 2009

Material available through this publication scheme is copyright unless otherwise indicated. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium, provided it is done so accurately in a manner that will not mislead. Where items are re-published or copied to others, you must identify the source and acknowledge copyright status. This permit does not extend to third party material, accessed through the scheme.

For HMSO Guidance notes on FOI publication schemes see www.hmso.gov.uk/guides.htm.