I am researching the varying provision of community equipment services (“CES”) throughout the UK.
A community equipment service provides daily living aids such as crutches, commodes, profiling beds, etc. This service might be known under a different name locally, such as a joint equipment store or an equipment loan service. The service may also provide other equipment in addition to daily living aids.
Please could you answer the following questions separately under the Freedom of Information Act:
1) Is an outsourced organisation (or organisations) used to deliver the service? If so, what is their name?
2) Does the service provide other services or equipment in addition to daily living aids? If so, what are they?
3) For how long has the outsourced organisation(s) been providing the service?
4) If your service is shared or commissioned with other authorities, please name the other authorities and state who is the lead/coordinating commissioner?
5) When was the service last tendered?
6) When will the service next be tendered?
7) When does the current contract expire? Please provide details of any potential contract extensions.
8) Is equipment purchased separately, e.g. through a framework agreement rather than via the provider organisation? Please state the names of any agreements if so.
9) How much was spent on the service in the last financial year?
10) What is the size of the population covered by the service?
11) How many registered users does the service have?
12) Re: patient choice. Does the service routinely operate on Saturday or Sunday?
13) Re: patient choice. Does the service routinely operate after 5pm, Monday to Friday?
14) Re: patient satisfaction. Please provide the results of the latest patient survey?
If a specific question cannot be answered, please state why.