Postage costs versus email and phone calls

AuthorityManx Care
Date received2025-05-13
OutcomeAll information sent
Outcome date2025-06-02
Case ID4652641

Summary

The requester asked for annual postage costs specifically incurred by Manx Care for contacting patients, but the authority could only provide total postage costs as patient-specific data is not recorded separately.

Key Facts

  • Manx Care cannot isolate postage costs specifically for patient contact from their accounting ledger.
  • Total postage costs for the 2023/24 financial year were 457,220.73.
  • Total postage costs for the 2024/25 financial year were 488,692.12.
  • The largest cost category for both years was 'Communications - Post - Franking Machine'.
  • The request was received on 2025-05-13 and closed on 2025-06-02.

Data Disclosed

  • 457,220.73
  • 488,692.12
  • 63,561.70
  • 76,925.40
  • 335,492.31
  • 378,997.35
  • 312.81
  • 214.43
  • 57,853.91
  • 32,554.94
  • 2023/24
  • 2024/25
  • 2025-05-13
  • 2025-06-02
  • 4652641

Original Request

Can I please have the annual postage costs incurred by Manx Care when contacting patients. If the specific "patient contact" costs aren't available within the total then can I please see the total postage costs. Either last financial year 2023/4 or for the current budgeted year. Thank you

Data Tables (2)

We can confirm that the accounting ledger shows the following costs recorded in
respect of postage for Manx Care. Unfortunately we are unable to identify which of
these costs relate specifically to contacting patients as the information is not recorded
with this specific criteria.
Description 2023/24 2024/25
Communications - Post - Courier Fees 63,561.70 76,925.40
Communications - Post - Franking 335,492.31 378,997.35
Machine
Communications - Post - Carriage 312.81 214.43
Communications - Post - General 57,853.91 32,554.94
TOTAL 457,220.73 488,692.12

Full Response Text

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

Our ref: 4652641 30 May 2025

Dear

We write further to your request, received 13 May 2025, which states:

"Can I please have the annual postage costs incurred by Manx Care when contacting patients. If the specific "patient contact" costs aren't available within the total then can I please see the total postage costs. Either last financial year 2023/4 or for the current budgeted year.
Thank you"

Response

We can confirm that the accounting ledger shows the following costs recorded in respect of postage for Manx Care. Unfortunately we are unable to identify which of these costs relate specifically to contacting patients as the information is not recorded with this specific criteria.

Description 2023/24 2024/25 Communications - Post - Courier Fees 63,561.70 76,925.40 Communications - Post - Franking Machine 335,492.31 378,997.35 Communications - Post - Carriage 312.81 214.43 Communications - Post - General 57,853.91 32,554.94 TOTAL 457,220.73 488,692.12

Please quote the reference number 4652641 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.

Yours sincerely