Cost of medicines

Summary

The requester asked for the total cost of medicines, appliances, and medical devices purchased by Manx Care in 2023 and 2018. Manx Care provided the 2023/24 financial year figure but refused the 2018 request because the organization did not exist at that time.

Key Facts

• The total cost of medicines, appliances, and medical devices for the 2023/24 financial year was £38,801,971.
• Capital equipment purchase costs are held by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), not Manx Care.
• Manx Care was established in April 2021, meaning it holds no data for the year 2018.
• The request for 2018 data was refused under section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 as a practical refusal.
• The requester was advised to contact the DHSC for historical data prior to April 2021.

Data Disclosed

• £38,801,971
• 2023/24
• 2018
• April 2021
• 18 April 2024
• 24 July 2024
• 3809405

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Practical refusal: information not held)

Original Request

Please can you confirm the following: 1. What was the total cost of all medicines, appliances and medical devices purchased by IOM Government (Manx Care) in 2023 (to include items prescribed in primary care and dispensed in the community as well as issued in hospitals)? 2. What was such cost in 2018? Thank you.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Manx Care Noble’s Hospital, Strang Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4R (01624) 650 000

Our ref: 3809405 24 July 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 18 April 2024, which states:

"Please can you confirm the following:

1. What was the total cost of all medicines, appliances and medical devices purchased by IOM Government (Manx Care) in 2023 (to include items prescribed in primary care and dispensed in the community as well as issued in hospitals)?

2. What was such cost in 2018?

Thank you."

I have detailed below the information that is held.

1. The total cost of all medicines, appliances and medical devices during the financial year 2023/24 was £38,801,971. The cost of any capital equipment purchases during the year will be held by DHSC as they hold the Capital Budget for Health & Social Care.
2. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Care is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. Manx Care was only established in April 2021 so any data from before this date is not available for us to provide, you may wish to contact the DHSC.

Please quote the reference number 3809405 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are

dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.