Dental Restorative Service

Summary

A request was made for details regarding the Dental Restorative Service provided by consultant Alison Qualtrough, including costs, patient numbers, and treatment breakdowns. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the service start date, annual cost, travel arrangements, and patient statistics from 2016, but refused to provide treatment breakdowns due to the practical burden of compiling the data.

Key Facts

• The dental restorative service has been in operation since September 2012.
• The annual cost of the service is £3,411.00.
• The Department does not pay for the consultant's travel or accommodation.
• There are 25 patients currently under the consultant's care.
• Patient data is only held from April 2016 onwards.

Data Disclosed

• September 2012
• £3,411.00
• 25 patients
• April 2016
• 58 patients (2016/17)
• 67 patients (2017/18)
• 48 patients (2018/19 up to November 2018)

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(2)(b) of the Act (Practical refusal reason)
• Section 11(3)(b) of the Act
• Section 8(3) of the Act (Requirement to create, derive, research, analyze, or substantially compile information)

Original Request

A dental restorative specialist/consultant Alison Qualtrough visits the Isle of Man and works out of Nobles Hospital. A restorative consultants job is to treatment plan, treat and advise patients that are classed as 'difficult' . Can you confirm how many years this service has been in operation for? The cost of this service per annum? Does the department pay travel and accomodation costs? If so how much does this cost? How many patients are under the consultant? From 2013 to date please breakdown how many patients has the consultant seen each year? Can you provide a breakdown of treatment provided? How many of the following treatments have been provided in the years 2013 to date: Consultations Crowns Veneers Dentures

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Chief Executive: Malcolm Couch Freedom of Information Team DHSC Digital Cronk Coar Strang IM4 4RJ

(01624) 642621 dhsc@foi.gov.im Website: www.gov.im/dhsc

Our ref: 544738 6 September 2018

Dear ###,

We write further to your request which was received on 14th August 2018 which states:

A dental restorative specialist/consultant Alison Qualtrough visits the Isle of Man and works out of Nobles Hospital. A restorative consultants job is to treatment plan, treat and advise patients that are classed as 'difficult' . Question 01) Can you confirm how many years this service has been in operation for? Question 02) The cost of this service per annum? Question 03) Does the department pay travel and accommodation costs? If so how much does this cost? Question 04) How many patients are under the consultant? Question 05) From 2013 to date please breakdown how many patients has the consultant seen each year? Question 06) Can you provide a breakdown of treatment provided? Question 07) How many of the following treatments have been provided in the years 2013 to date: Consultations Crowns Veneers Dentures We are pleased to be able to provide a response to your request with answers to some of your questions; while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide all of the information you have requested; the reasons are shown as part of the corresponding answers below.

Question 01) Can you confirm how many years this service has been in operation for? Dr Qualtrough has been providing this service since September 2012. Question 02) The cost of this service per annum? £3,411.00 Question 03) Does the department pay travel and accommodation costs? If so how much does this cost? The Department do not pay for travel and accommodation. Question 04) How many patients are under the consultant? 25 patients. Question 05) From 2013 to date please breakdown how many patients has the consultant seen each year? The Department only hold data for this from April 2016. Please find breakdown below: • 2016/17- 58 patients • 2017/18- 67 patients • 2018/19 (detailing clinics booked up until November 2018) - 48 patients. Question 06) Can you provide a breakdown of treatment provided? While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. Section 11(2)(b) of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse to give an applicant the information they requested on the grounds that a practical refusal reason applies. In this instance, under Section 11(3)(b) of the Act we are refusing your application on the grounds that practical refusal reasons apply, namely, that in complying with the request for information, it would require the Department to do one or more of the matters mentioned in section 8(3) of the Act (things a public authority is not required to do by the Act) as follows; • Create or derive information from information that it holds; • Undertake research into, or analysis of, information, that it holds; or • Undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds. In this instance we are unable to answer your request as we believe that all of the above apply.

Question 07) How many of the following treatments have been provided in the years 2013 to date: Consultations Crowns Veneers Dentures While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. Section 11(2)(b) of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse to give an applicant the information they requested on the grounds that a practical refusal reason applies. In this instance, under Section 11(3)(b) of the Act we are refusing your application on the grounds that practical refusal reasons apply, namely, that in complying with the request for information, it would require the Department to do one or more of the matters mentioned in section 8(3) of the Act (things a public authority is not required to do by the Act) as follows; • Create or derive information from information that it holds; • Undertake research into, or analysis of, information, that it holds; or • Undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds. In this instance we are unable to answer your request as we believe that all of the above apply. 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 to me at DHSC Freedom of Information Team, Department of Health and Social Care, Chief Executive’s Office, Crookall House, Demesne Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3QA; Email: Foi.DHSC@gov.im. An electronic version of our complaint form can be found at www.gov.im/foireview.. 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. Yours Sincerely Freedom of Information Team Department of Health and Social Care