Freedom of Imformation

Freedom of Information Act

Publication Scheme

Welcome to the Publication Scheme for The Outside Clinic as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Introduction

This Publication scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by The Outside Clinic. It is a description of the information about our NHS services that we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness.

How much does it cost?

The publications are free unless otherwise indicated. Where information is provided at cost, the charges will be calculated as set out in Class 7.

How is the information made available?

The information within each Class is available in hard copy from:

The Outside Clinic
Old town Court
10-14 high street
Old town
Swindon
SN1 3EP
Or can be printed from this website: www.outsideclinic.com

Your Rights to Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to promote openness and accountability amongst all organisations that receive public money.
From January 1st 2005 it obliges opticians' and optometrists' practices to respond to requests about the NHS related information that it holds, and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exemptions that have to be taken into consideration before releasing information.
In addition to accessing the information identified in the publication scheme, you are entitled to request information about our NHS services under the NHS Openness Code 1995.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you and you can contact any practice where your records are held to do this.

Feedback

If you have any comments about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the scheme, please write to:

Mrs Lynda Oliver
The Outside Clinic
Old town Court
10-14 high street
Old town
Swindon
SN1 3EP
Classes of Information

All NHS information at The Outside Clinic is held, retained and destroyed within NHS guidelines.
Our commitment to publish information excludes any information that can be legitimately
withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or Freedom of Information
Act 2000. From 2005, individual Classes are subject to exemptions, the main reasons being the
protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998.
This Scheme has been written in accordance with those exemptions. The information on this
Scheme is grouped into the following categories:

1) Who we are

The Outside Clinic are the UK's largest national provider of home visiting eyecare.
Head Office: 7 Wood Street, Old Town, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 4AN. Tel: 01793-610252.
Details of all the Opticians and Optometrists employed can be obtained by contacting our Head Office directly.
Alternatively, details of all opticians and optometrists registered in the UK are available from the General Optical Council Tel: 0207 580 3898.
Company Registration number: 2788492.

2) Our services

The Outside Clinic opticians provide free NHS eye tests for those who are eligible. You may
also be entitled to GOS vouchers that can be used against the purchase of glasses or contact lenses
if you require them. To find out if you are eligible for assistance please ask for details from our
Head Office on Freephone 0500 295 245, or on our website (www.outsideclinic.com).
Appointments for eye tests are booked over the phone.

3) Financial and funding information

A set fee is recieved by the organisation for every NHS sight test performed.
This includes a contribution towards optometrists and staff salaries, equipment costs and other store overheads.
If you are not eligible for the NHS eye test, please contact Head Office on 0500 295 245 for
details of our current charges.

4) Regular publications and information for the public

A complete set of information about optical and ocular conditions, eye tests, glasses, and
contact lenses, can be found on www.outsideclinic.com or other websites including www.collegeoptometrists.org

Some of this information is also available in patient leaflets. These are freely available from
Head Office. To request a set of leaflets by post, please write to:

The Outside Clinic
Old town Court
10-14 high street
Old town
Swindon
SN1 3EP
Complaints

If you have a complaint about any of our products or services, we recommended that you bring it to
the attention of the staff member visiting you at home.

Alternatively, please telephone our Patient Services Department on Freephone 0800 85 44 77 If the matter cannot be resolved, it will be passed to a senior manager to handle.

A full copy of our complaints policy is available on request and can be found in Class 6.

5) Our policies and procedures

Complaints
Data protection
Health and safety

They are available on request from Head Office.

6) This publication scheme

In this class we will publish any changes we make to this publication scheme, the criteria on
which our information management policies are made and a referral point for all enquiries
regarding information management generally in practice. We will also publish any proposed
changes or additions to publications already available.

7) Cost of Information

For the most part, we will only charge for hard copies, or copies onto media. Charges are as
follows and will be reviewed regularly.

Single hard copies - free of charge
Multiple hard copies, or archived copies will attract a charge for photocopying, retrieval and
postage. We will inform you of the cost of these charges that will have to be paid in advance.
E-mail will be free of charge.

Part 3. Useful Resources Websites:

Information Commissioner
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Lord Chancellors Department
www.lcd.gov.uk
NHS Freedom of Information
www.foi.nhs.uk
NHS Openness Code
www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/codemain.htm
Freedom of Information Act 2000
www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000036.htm