Dear Dr Armstrong

 

Official Information Act Request – Increasing mental health demand

 

I acknowledge receipt of your OIA request dated 14 December 2017.

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and in
any event no later than 2 February 2018, being 20 working days after the
day your request was received*.

If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of
an extension of that timeframe.

We are currently processing your request and will contact you again in due
course.

*Please refer to the online calculator on the [1]Ombudsman’s website for
details of which dates are considered non-working days during the
Christmas/New Year period

 

Kind regards,

 

Michelle Webb

Corporate Committee Administrator| Corporate Business Team

(09 307 4949 ext 22365 | * [2][email address]

Auckland District Health Board| Level 1 | Building A37 | Park Road Grafton

 

Welcome  Haere Mai  |  Respect  Manaaki  |  Together  Tūhono |  Aim
High  Angamua

The information contained in this email and any attachments is
confidential and intended for the named recipients only. If you are not
the intended recipient, please delete this email and notify the sender
immediately. Auckland DHB accepts no responsibility for changes made to
this email or to any attachments after it has been sent.​

 

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. mailto:[email address]

Dear Dr Armstrong

 

Official Information Act Request – Cost of change of uniform

 

I refer to your official information request dated 14 December 2017.  The
information you have requested is attached.

 

Please note that this letter has been signed by our Acting Chief
Executive, Margaret Dotchin.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Michelle Webb

Corporate Committee Administrator| Corporate Business Team

(09 307 4949 ext 22365 | * [1][email address]

Auckland District Health Board| Level 1 | Building A37 | Park Road Grafton

 

Welcome  Haere Mai  |  Respect  Manaaki  |  Together  Tūhono |  Aim
High  Angamua

The information contained in this email and any attachments is
confidential and intended for the named recipients only. If you are not
the intended recipient, please delete this email and notify the sender
immediately. Auckland DHB accepts no responsibility for changes made to
this email or to any attachments after it has been sent.​

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Hi Dr Armstrong

 

Many thanks for letting me know.  I've re-attached the pdf to see if this
resolves the issue.  I've also included the text of the letter in this
email below just in case.

 

I'll also put a hard copy in the post for you today.

 

Kind regards,

Michelle Webb

 

 

LETTER READS:

 

22 December 2017

 

 

Dr Caleb Armstrong                                                     

By email to:  [1][FOI #7014 email]

 

 

 

Dear Dr Armstrong

 

Re          Official Information Request – Cost of change in uniform

 

I refer to your official information request dated click here to select
date for information about the change in staff uniform at Auckland DHB.

The information you have requested is enclosed. We have provided the
information under each of your questions below.

I note that there has been a change in Staff uniform recently. I was told
that this can only have come at a very high cost to the organisation.

In relation to this, I have three questions:

1.      What was the cost of this change in uniforms?

The budget for changing the uniforms was set at $865,000 and 67% of this
has been spent to date, with the balance available to complete the full
rollout.

2.      What was the reason for this change?

Auckland DHB, as a provider of health care is proud of the services we
provide to patients, whānau and visitors. We wanted a uniform that nurses
and midwives are proud to wear and which enables staff to present
themselves to patients in a consistent, professional-looking manner. 

Our patients and their families also told us that they could not often
easily recognise who were nurses within the team due to many clinicians
wearing scrub style uniforms.  Having a uniform that ensures Auckland DHB
nurses and midwives are easily recognisable to our patients and their
families was therefore another very important reason. 

The new uniform design provides clear identification and visibility of
roles for our patients and their families for example Charge Nurses,
Registered Nurses and Health Care Assistants.

The nursing and midwifery uniform hadn’t been changed for 10 years,
although we did replace uniforms as required to accommodate changes in
sizing and wear and tear. The previous nursing and midwifery uniform was a
loose-fitting scrub-style top and pants of matching fabric.  This nurse
and midwifery uniform was often ill-fitting, faded over time and are very
similar in style and colour to theatre attire.  This similarity in
scrub-style and look made it difficult for our patients and their families
to differentiate, and easily recognise, the nurses and midwives that
provide their care.

We require nursing and midwifery uniforms for over 3,600 nurses and
midwives and our previous supply and cost arrangements could we believe,
be improved. 

The new uniforms are being purchased through a national contract which
will better control costs. The replacement uniforms are made of more
durable fabric which is hard wearing and will not fade. We expect uniforms
to be in use longer than our existing uniforms.  We have also introduced a
refurbishment service enabling the reuse of uniform garments returned by
staff.  If someone leaves Auckland DHB, their uniform will be assessed and
if it is good condition it will be professionally cleaned and pressed and
put back into circulation. 

3.      Does Auckland District Health Board have a budget surplus, or was
the cost covered by further deficit spending?

For 2017/18, Auckland DHB has budgeted a breakeven position. The cost of
the uniforms was included in the 2016/17 Capital Expenditure budget and
has no impact on the 2017/18 operational budget. The DHB achieved a
surplus of $3.1M in 2016/17.

I trust this information answers your questions.

You are entitled to seek a review of the response by the Ombudsman under
section 28(3) of the Official Information Act.  Information about how to
make a complaint is available at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.

 

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

 

Ailsa Claire, OBE

Chief Executive

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Caleb Armstrong
[mailto:[FOI #7014 email]]
Sent: Friday, 22 December 2017 11:47 a.m.
To: Michelle Webb (ADHB)
Subject: Re: Official Information Act Request - Cost of change of uniform
- ADHB Ref 254 - Response Attached

 

Dear Michelle Webb (ADHB),

 

would you be able to re-scan and upload the reply, unfortunately the file,
when downloaded, has the bottom half of page one missing.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Caleb Armstrong

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Dear Dr Armstrong

 

 

 

Official Information Act Request – Cost of change of uniform

 

 

 

I refer to your official information request dated 14 December 2017.  The 
information you have requested is attached.

 

 

 

Please note that this letter has been signed by our Acting Chief 
Executive, Margaret Dotchin.

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

 

 

Michelle Webb

 

Corporate Committee Administrator| Corporate Business Team

 

(09 307 4949 ext 22365 | * [1][email address]

 

Auckland District Health Board| Level 1 | Building A37 | Park Road Grafton

 

 

 

Welcome  Haere Mai  |  Respect  Manaaki  |  Together  Tūhono |  Aim 
High  Angamua

 

The information contained in this email and any attachments is 
confidential and intended for the named recipients only. If you are not 
the intended recipient, please delete this email and notify the sender 
immediately. Auckland DHB accepts no responsibility for changes made to 
this email or to any attachments after it has been sent.​

 

 

 

References

 

Visible links

1. [3]mailto:[email address]

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[4][FOI #7014 email]

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[5]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #7014 email]
2. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
3. mailto:[email
4. mailto:[FOI #7014 email]
5. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

hide quoted sections

Hi Dr Armstrong

My apologies. I'll resend this to the correct FYI.org address.

Just by way of update, your request for information about increasing mental health demand is still being processed. The ADHB reference number for that request is OIA 256. Our response to this request is due to you on 2 February 2018.

Kind regards,

Michelle Webb
Corporate Committee Administrator| Corporate Business Team
C09 307 4949 ext 22365 | 0 [email address]
Auckland District Health Board| Level 1 | Building A37 | Park Road Grafton

Welcome  Haere Mai  |  Respect  Manaaki  |  Together  Tūhono |  Aim High  Angamua
The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and intended for the named recipients only. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this email and notify the sender immediately. Auckland DHB accepts no responsibility for changes made to this email or to any attachments after it has been sent.​

-----Original Message-----
From: Caleb Armstrong [mailto:[FOI #7014 email]]
Sent: Friday, 22 December 2017 12:44 p.m.
To: Michelle Webb (ADHB)
Subject: RE: Official Information Act Request - Cost of change of uniform - ADHB Ref 254 - Response Attached

Dear Michelle Webb (ADHB),

Thanks - it's good to have the text, but this is actually the answer to another of my FOIA requests, about uniforms, and has mistakenly been sent in reply to my request for information about increasing mental health demand.

Yours sincerely,

Caleb Armstrong

-----Original Message-----

Hi Dr Armstrong

 

Many thanks for letting me know.  I've re-attached the pdf to see if this resolves the issue.  I've also included the text of the letter in this email below just in case.

 

I'll also put a hard copy in the post for you today.

 

Kind regards,

Michelle Webb

 

 

LETTER READS:

 

22 December 2017

 

 

Dr Caleb Armstrong                                                     

By email to:  [1][FOI #7014 email]

 

 

 

Dear Dr Armstrong

 

Re          Official Information Request – Cost of change in uniform

 

I refer to your official information request dated click here to select date for information about the change in staff uniform at Auckland DHB.

The information you have requested is enclosed. We have provided the information under each of your questions below.

I note that there has been a change in Staff uniform recently. I was told that this can only have come at a very high cost to the organisation.

In relation to this, I have three questions:

1.      What was the cost of this change in uniforms?

The budget for changing the uniforms was set at $865,000 and 67% of this has been spent to date, with the balance available to complete the full rollout.

2.      What was the reason for this change?

Auckland DHB, as a provider of health care is proud of the services we provide to patients, whānau and visitors. We wanted a uniform that nurses and midwives are proud to wear and which enables staff to present themselves to patients in a consistent, professional-looking manner. 

Our patients and their families also told us that they could not often easily recognise who were nurses within the team due to many clinicians wearing scrub style uniforms.  Having a uniform that ensures Auckland DHB nurses and midwives are easily recognisable to our patients and their families was therefore another very important reason. 

The new uniform design provides clear identification and visibility of roles for our patients and their families for example Charge Nurses, Registered Nurses and Health Care Assistants.

The nursing and midwifery uniform hadn’t been changed for 10 years, although we did replace uniforms as required to accommodate changes in sizing and wear and tear. The previous nursing and midwifery uniform was a loose-fitting scrub-style top and pants of matching fabric.  This nurse and midwifery uniform was often ill-fitting, faded over time and are very similar in style and colour to theatre attire.  This similarity in scrub-style and look made it difficult for our patients and their families to differentiate, and easily recognise, the nurses and midwives that provide their care.

We require nursing and midwifery uniforms for over 3,600 nurses and midwives and our previous supply and cost arrangements could we believe, be improved. 

The new uniforms are being purchased through a national contract which will better control costs. The replacement uniforms are made of more durable fabric which is hard wearing and will not fade. We expect uniforms to be in use longer than our existing uniforms.  We have also introduced a refurbishment service enabling the reuse of uniform garments returned by staff.  If someone leaves Auckland DHB, their uniform will be assessed and if it is good condition it will be professionally cleaned and pressed and put back into circulation. 

3.      Does Auckland District Health Board have a budget surplus, or was the cost covered by further deficit spending?

For 2017/18, Auckland DHB has budgeted a breakeven position. The cost of the uniforms was included in the 2016/17 Capital Expenditure budget and has no impact on the 2017/18 operational budget. The DHB achieved a surplus of $3.1M in 2016/17.

I trust this information answers your questions.

You are entitled to seek a review of the response by the Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Official Information Act.  Information about how to make a complaint is available at [http://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&am... or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

 

Ailsa Claire, OBE

Chief Executive

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #7014 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

hide quoted sections

I am out of the office, returning to work on Monday 8 January 2018. 
Emails sent to this inbox will not be read until then.

 

Many thanks,

Michelle Webb

 

Dear Dr Armstrong

 

Official Information Act Request – Increasing Mental Health Demand

 

I refer to your official information request dated 14 December 2017. 

 

Please see our attached correspondence regarding this request.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Michelle Webb

Corporate Committee Administrator| Corporate Business Team

(09 307 4949 ext 22365 | * [1][email address]

Auckland District Health Board| Level 1 | Building A37 | Park Road Grafton

 

Welcome  Haere Mai  |  Respect  Manaaki  |  Together  Tūhono |  Aim
High  Angamua

The information contained in this email and any attachments is
confidential and intended for the named recipients only. If you are not
the intended recipient, please delete this email and notify the sender
immediately. Auckland DHB accepts no responsibility for changes made to
this email or to any attachments after it has been sent.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Dear Dr Armstrong

 

Attached please find the response to your OIA request dated 14 December
2917.

 

Regards

 

Elaine Keenan

Team Administrator

Corporate Business Services

( (09) 630-9943  ext 22346 | * [email address]

Auckland District Health Board | Level 1 |  Building 37 | Auckland City
Hospital | Park Road | Auckland

[1]cid:image003.png@01D1E7F0.9ED324E0

 

 

 

References

Visible links