Community Equipment Service - Freedom of information requests
Title or Description
Community Equipment Service
FOI Number
513
Date Received
19/05/2022
Type of Request
FOI
Request or Question
I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Request which I hope you can help with?1. Who provides your community equipment service?2. Are riser recliner armchairs available through your community equipment stores?a. If yes, what is the eligibility criteria?
b. If yes, what make, and model are supplied?
c. If yes, how many riser recliner armchairs were supplied in 2020, 2021 and YTD in 2022?
d. If yes, how much do you pay per unit?
3. If no, how do people within your local authority area get a riser recliner if they are assessed as needing one?
Response
1. Scottish Border Council and NHS Borders commission a joint Community Equipment Service provided by SB Cares, the Adult Social Care directorate of Scottish Borders Council.
2. Yes.
a. Equipment is provided following guidance in the Scottish Government document: NATIONAL STANDARD ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND WAITING TIMES FOR THE PERSONAL AND NURSING CARE OF OLDER PEOPLE - GUIDANCE
b. Core stock chairs are provided in 16", 18" and 20" sizes from the Accora range.
c. Calendar year 2020 - total of 106 chairs, calendar year 2021 - total of 72 chairs, calendar year 2022 to 31/05/2022 - total of 18 chairs.
d. We consider the unit cost to purchase this item from the supplier is commercially sensitive and cannot be placed in the public domain. In considering the public interest test we recognise that there is a general duty of openness and transparency. However, by disclosing this information into the public domain would give competitive advantage to the suppliers actual and potential competitors. The public interest test therefore lies in favour of withholding the information requested as by disclosing this information would likely prejudice the suppliers commercial interests and rely on S33(1)(b) of FOI(S)A 2002.
