Diabetes costs for Individual Appointments, Annual Reviews and Pump Supplies

AuthorityDepartment of Health and Social Care
Date received2019-01-07
OutcomeSome information sent but not all held
Outcome date2019-01-16
Case ID689872

Summary

The request sought specific costs for diabetes appointments and Animas pump supplies at Nobles Hospital. The authority disclosed estimated appointment costs and annual consumable ranges but refused to provide a specific cost for annual reviews as the data was not held separately.

Key Facts

  • Estimated cost for a first Diabetes Centre appointment is £277.
  • Estimated cost for subsequent attendance appointments is £255.
  • Specific costs for individual annual reviews could not be separated from regular appointment costs.
  • Animas pumps are being phased out following a business acquisition by Medtronic.
  • Patients are being transitioned to Omnipod patch pumps or Medtronic pumps.

Data Disclosed

  • £277
  • £255
  • £24.65
  • £295.80
  • £394.40
  • £97.50
  • £1170
  • £1560
  • £1465.8
  • £1954.4
  • 2ml
  • 6mm
  • 580mm
  • 2019-01-07
  • 2019-01-16
  • 689872

Exemptions Cited

  • Section 11 (3) (b) of the Act (practical refusal reason: creating or deriving information)
  • Section 11 (3)(a) of the Act (information not held)

Original Request

Question 1: I require the cost per patient of an appointment at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. Question 2: I require the cost of an individual annual review at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. Question 3: What is the cost of Animas pump supplies per box issued to those users who use an Animas Insulin Pump, this should include the 2ml Cartridge and Inset Infusion system 6mm cannula/580mm tubing, with Luer Lock?

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Appointment Type Estimated Cost
First Diabetes Centre appointment £277
Subsequent attendance appointments £255
Item Unit Cost Annual Cost Range (Excl. VAT)
Cartridges 2ml (box of 10) £24.65 £295.80 – £394.40
Cannula 6mm (box of 10) £97.50 £1170 – £1560
Total cost per annum - £1465.8 – £1954.4

Full Response Text

Chief Executive: Malcolm Couch Freedom of Information Team DHSC Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas IM1 3QA

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

Our ref: 689872 16th January 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 7th January 2019 and states:

"Question 1: I require the cost per patient of an appointment at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. Question 2: I require the cost of an individual annual review at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. Question 3: What is the cost of Animas pump supplies per box issued to those users who use an Animas Insulin Pump, this should include the 2ml Cartridge and Inset Infusion system 6mm cannula/580mm tubing, with Luer Lock?"

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 some of the information that you have requested.
I have detailed below the information that is held. Question 1 I require the cost per patient of an appointment at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. The Department is unable to answer this question pursuant to S11 (3) (b) of the Act, in as that a practical refusal reason to non-disclosure applies; notably complying with the request for information would require the public authority to do one or more of the matters mentioned in S8 (3) Right of access to information held by public authorities, notably S8 (3) (a) create or derive information from information that it holds. However, the Department fully embraces the spirit of Freedom of Information and in order to provide advice and assistance, can disclose the following information, the estimated cost for a patient’s first Diabetes Centre appointment is £277, the estimated cost for subsequent attendance appointments is £255.

Question 2 I require the cost of an individual annual review at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. 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 (3)(a) of the Act). Unfortunately we cannot separate the cost for an annual review from regular appointments as listed in question 1 above. Question 3 What is the cost of Animas pump supplies per box issued to those users who use an Animas Insulin Pump, this should include the 2ml Cartridge and Inset Infusion system 6mm cannula/580mm tubing, with Luer Lock? The Animas pumps are being phased out following the business acquisition by Medtronic last year. We are currently undertaking a replacement programme for people on these pumps to either Omnipod patch pump or Medtronic pump. Animas consumable costs: Cartridges 2ml x box of 10 £ 24.65 = £295.80 – £394.40 +VAT per annum dependent upon individual requirements Cannula 6mm x box of 10 £97.50 = £1170 – £1560 + VAT per annum dependent upon individual requirements Total cost per annum £1465.8 – £1954.4 + VAT per annum dependent upon individual requirements

Please quote the reference number 689872 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


Chief Executive: Malcolm Couch Freedom of Information Team DHSC Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas IM1 3QA

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

Our ref: 689872 16th January 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 7th January 2019 and states:

"Question 1: I require the cost per patient of an appointment at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. Question 2: I require the cost of an individual annual review at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. Question 3: What is the cost of Animas pump supplies per box issued to those users who use an Animas Insulin Pump, this should include the 2ml Cartridge and Inset Infusion system 6mm cannula/580mm tubing, with Luer Lock?"

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 some of the information that you have requested.
I have detailed below the information that is held. Question 1 I require the cost per patient of an appointment at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. The Department is unable to answer this question pursuant to S11 (3) (b) of the Act, in as that a practical refusal reason to non-disclosure applies; notably complying with the request for information would require the public authority to do one or more of the matters mentioned in S8 (3) Right of access to information held by public authorities, notably S8 (3) (a) create or derive information from information that it holds. However, the Department fully embraces the spirit of Freedom of Information and in order to provide advice and assistance, can disclose the following information, the estimated cost for a patient’s first Diabetes Centre appointment is £277, the estimated cost for subsequent attendance appointments is £255.

Question 2 I require the cost of an individual annual review at the Diabetes Centre at Nobles Hospital. 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 (3)(a) of the Act). Unfortunately we cannot separate the cost for an annual review from regular appointments as listed in question 1 above. Question 3 What is the cost of Animas pump supplies per box issued to those users who use an Animas Insulin Pump, this should include the 2ml Cartridge and Inset Infusion system 6mm cannula/580mm tubing, with Luer Lock? The Animas pumps are being phased out following the business acquisition by Medtronic last year. We are currently undertaking a replacement programme for people on these pumps to either Omnipod patch pump or Medtronic pump. Animas consumable costs: Cartridges 2ml x box of 10 £ 24.65 = £295.80 – £394.40 +VAT per annum dependent upon individual requirements Cannula 6mm x box of 10 £97.50 = £1170 – £1560 + VAT per annum dependent upon individual requirements Total cost per annum £1465.8 – £1954.4 + VAT per annum dependent upon individual requirements

Please quote the reference number 689872 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