Freedom of Information Act

 

Publication Scheme
Welcome to the Publication Scheme for Robert Frith Optometrists 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 Robert Frith Optometrists. 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:
Robert Frith Services Ltd
Unit 17 Kingsmead Business Park
Gillingham
Dorset
SP8 5FB

 

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 will oblige 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.
• New environmental information regulations may be introduced as early as 2003. These will enable similar access to environmental information as under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
• Under the Data Protection Act 1998, and the GDPR (from 2018) 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:

James Risley Group CEO
Robert Frith Services Ltd
Unit 17 Kingsmead Business Park
Gillingham
Dorset
SP8 5FB

 

Classes of Information
All NHS information at Robert Frith Optometrists 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 had been written in accordance with those exemptions. The information on this Scheme is grouped into the following categories:

1)       Who we are:

• List of practices including contact phone numbers
• Details of all the Opticians and Optometrists employed in any one of our practices can be obtained by contacting that store directly or looking at the practice page of our website.
• Alternatively, details of all opticians and optometrists registered in the UK are available from the General Optical Council  Tel: 020 7580 3898. https://www.optical.org/en/utilities/online-registers.cfm
• Company Registration number can be found at the practice page of our website or contacting the practice directly.

 

2)       Our services
All Robert Frith Optometrists practices provide free NHS eye tests for those who are eligible. You may also be entitled to 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 in any of our practices.

Appointments for eye tests can be booked over the phone, or by dropping into one of our practices. The addresses and phone numbers of our practice are:

Blandford 3 Market Place Blandford Forum Dorset DT11 7AH 01258 452207	Bridport 7 West Street Bridport Dorset DT6 3QJ 01308 423000	Castle Cary Fore Street Castle Cary Somerset BA7 7BG 01963 351 948	Chard 18 Fore Street Chard Somerset TA20 1PP 01460 67771	Crewkerne 7-8 Falkland Square Crewkerne Somerset TA18 7JS 01460 72964
Gillingham Fairfield House Gillingham Dorset SP8 4AA 01747 825 122	Poundbury 31 Crown Street West Poundbury Dorset DT1 3FQ 01305 264922	Shaftesbury Wesley House 12 Bell Street Shaftesbury Dorset SP7 8AR 01747 854 761	Swanage 25 Station Rd, Swanage Dorset BH19 1AD 01929 422220	Twickenham 120 Heath Road Twickenham Middlesex TW1 4BW 020 8892 1682
Weymouth 104 St Mary Street Weymouth Dorset DT4 8NY 01305 786303	Wincanton 16 Market Place Wincanton Somerset BA9 9LA 01963 31259	Yeovil 28 Princes Street Yeovil Somerset BA20 1EQ 01963 31259

Opening times can vary between locations, so please call to confirm.

 

3)       Financial and funding information
For every eye test performed on behalf of the NHS the opticians practice receives a set fee of £21.31. This covers a small part of expenses such as optometrist and staff salaries, equipment costs and other store overheads, the balance is subsidized by the sale of spectacles.

If you are not eligible for the NHS eye test, please contact your local practice 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 a number of websites including www.abdo.org.uk , www.fodo.com & www.college-optometrists.org

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

James Risley Group CEO
Robert Frith Services Ltd
Unit 17 Kingsmead Business Park
Gillingham
Dorset
SP8 5FB

 

Complaints
If you have a complaint about any of our products or services, we recommended that you first discuss any problems with the manager at the practice concerned.

If the matter cannot be resolved in this way or you are unsatisfied with the response you receive please write to:

James Risley Group CEO
Robert Frith Services Ltd
Unit 17 Kingsmead Business Park
Gillingham
Dorset
SP8 5FB

A full copy of our complaints policy is available on request.

 

5)    Our policies and procedures

• Complaints
• Data protection
• Health and safety

The above are available on request from:

James Risley Group CEO
Robert Frith Services Ltd
Unit 17 Kingsmead Business Park
Gillingham
Dorset
SP8 5FB

 

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 enquires 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, you will only be charged for printed copies of information required. Some information is available free, but for others there may be a charge. The charges will vary according to how the information is made available. The charges are as follows:

Information provided by e-mail is free of charge except for charges made by your internet service provider.

Requests for single printed copies are free of charge.

Requests for multiple printed copies or archived copies will attract a charge to cover incidental costs such as photocopying and postage.

These charges will be reviewed regularly.

 

Useful Resources

Websites and Publications:
Information Commissioner  www.ico.org.uk

NHS Freedom of Information www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/foi/

Freedom of Information Act 2000 www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000036.htm

 

Copyright:
Material available through this publication scheme is copyright unless otherwise indicated. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium, provided it is done so accurately in a manner that will not mislead. Where items are re-published or copied to others, you must identify the source and acknowledge copyright status. This permit does not extend to third party material, accessed through the scheme. For HMSO Guidance notes see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/