A wholly owned subsidiary of and NHS Foundation Trust

Request for Information Reference: 06.17.06

Direct line: 01325 743700 Email: [email protected]

Email only

3rd July 2017

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request for Information

Thank you for your request for information received on 5 June 2017 in relation to the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (Trust). We are dealing with your request under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

You requested information regarding PFI /PPP Safety Audit. Specifically you asked for:

This request for information is an attempt to seek reassurance about the safety of public buildings in the light of the findings revealed in the Inquiry commissioned following the collapse of a school building wall in Edinburgh and subsequent closure of 17 schools.

Please answer the following for each PFI/PPP schemes in your health trust treating each scheme as a separate request.

 Please provide all documents showing how your organisation has responded to the findings contained in the report on Edinburgh Schools Construction by John Cole: including, but not limited to memos, emails, minutes, reports.

I would like to understand the expertise and resource committed by your organisation to the management and oversight of PFI schemes from procurement through to ongoing contract operation.

 Please provide documents relating to the PFI Team(s) allocated to each project its makeup and structure of the team during each project phase. This may comprise terms of reference, organisation chart, post titles and role profiles.

 Provide the deed of appointment for the Independent Certifier and any other documents setting out the scope of that role. Please confirm the level of indemnity insurance and liability period. Synchronicity Care Limited Registered Address: Centre for Health, Traynor Way, Whitehouse Business Park, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2RU Registered Number: 9679630 (July 2015)

A wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

 Please confirm whether your organisation employed a member of the Institute of Clerk of Works or an inspector of similar standing and assigned them to each construction site. If someone in this role was employed please confirm their level of qualification, the salary associated with this role and how much time was allocated to per project/site.

 Please provide a list of all enforcement or improvement notices served; investigations carried out and reports commissioned into fire safety (include dates and specify who commissioned or issued these) Please provide copies of all items listed.

 Provide details of all attempts to make deductions relating to structural defects for each project. Confirm the amount, what it was for, and when the deduction was made.'

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust replies:

University Hospital of Chester le Street North Durham Hospital Community Hospital

Please answer the The Trust has no direct The Trust has no direct The Trust has no direct following for each responsibility for the responsibility for the responsibility for the PFI/PPP schemes in maintenance of the maintenance of the maintenance of the your health trust building, but has building, but has building, but has treating each scheme assurances that the assurances that the assurances that the as a separate request. building owners (SPV) building owners (SPV) building owners (SPV) are undertaking are undertaking are undertaking • Please provide inspections of the wall inspections of the wall inspections of the wall all documents showing cavities. There is no cavities. There is no cavities. There is no how your organisation evidence to suggest evidence to suggest evidence to suggest has responded to the that the wall that the wall that the wall findings contained in construction is not construction is not construction is not the report on compliant with the compliant with the compliant with the Edinburgh Schools building specification – building specification – building specification – Construction by John the inspection is a the inspection is a the inspection is a Cole: including, but not precautionary measure precautionary measure precautionary measure limited to memos, to allay any questions to allay any questions to allay any questions emails, minutes, which may arise. which may arise. which may arise. reports.

I would like to There are no detailed records from when the hospital was constructed to understand the identify the exact makeup of the expertise and resources involved. expertise and resource The details below are based on what we can glean from the few pieces of committed by your correspondence which still exist.

Synchronicity Care Limited Registered Address: Centre for Health, Traynor Way, Whitehouse Business Park, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2RU Registered Number: 9679630 (July 2015)

A wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospital of Bishop Auckland Chester le Street North Durham Hospital Community Hospital organisation to the Business Case management and Planning departments oversight of PFI Clinical Services schemes from Estates and Facilities procurement through Finance to ongoing contract Various external advisors on PFI contract matters etc. operation. Procurement & Build Legal Advisors Finance Estates & Facilities Main Contractor Architect Mechanical & Electrical Engineers Structural Engineer Clinical Planners Fire Advisors Risk Management Advisors Planning & Building Control Independent Technical Advisor Clinical Commissioning Team Estates Commissioning Team Operational – Early Estates Facilities Clinical commissioning team Operational – Current PFI Manager (0.9 WTE) Facilities Managers (0.6 WTE) Senior Management (0.3 WTE) • Please provide See above See above See above documents relating to the PFI Team(s) allocated to each project its makeup and structure of the team during each project phase. This may comprise terms of reference, organisation chart, post titles and role profiles. • Provide the The SPV is responsible The SPV is responsible The SPV is responsible deed of appointment for maintaining the for maintaining the for maintaining the for the Independent buildings and the buildings and the buildings and the Certifier and any other details of any details of any details of any documents setting out appointment. We do appointment. We do appointment. We do the scope of that role. not hold this record. not hold this record. not hold this record.

Synchronicity Care Limited Registered Address: Centre for Health, Traynor Way, Whitehouse Business Park, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2RU Registered Number: 9679630 (July 2015)

A wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospital of Bishop Auckland Chester le Street North Durham Hospital Community Hospital

• Please confirm The defects liability The defects liability The defects liability the level of indemnity period was 12 years period was 12 years period was 12 years insurance and liability and ran out in and ran out in June and ran out in period. November 2013 2014 November 2015

• Please confirm There are no records There are no records There are no records whether your from 1998-2001 from from 1999-2002 from from 2000-2003 from organisation employed when the hospital was when the hospital was when the hospital was a member of the constructed to identify constructed to identify constructed to identify Institute of Clerk of the team. the team. the team. Works or an inspector of similar standing and assigned them to each construction site. If someone in this role was employed please confirm their level of qualification, the salary associated with this role and how much time was allocated to per project/site. • Please provide No notices have been No notices have been No notices have been a list of all issued issued issued enforcement or improvement notices served; investigations carried out and reports commissioned into fire safety (include dates and specify who commissioned or issued these) Please provide copies of all items listed.

Synchronicity Care Limited Registered Address: Centre for Health, Traynor Way, Whitehouse Business Park, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2RU Registered Number: 9679630 (July 2015)

A wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

University Hospital of Bishop Auckland Chester le Street North Durham Hospital Community Hospital

• Provide No deductions have No deductions have No deductions have details of all attempts been made relating to been made relating to been made relating to to make deductions structural defects structural defects structural defects relating to structural defects for each project. Confirm the amount, what it was for, and when the deduction was made.'

In line with the Information Commissioner’s directive on the disclosure of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 your request will form part of our disclosure log. Therefore, a version of our response which will protect your anonymity will be posted on the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust website.

If you have any queries or wish to discuss the information supplied, please do not hesitate to contact me on the above telephone number or at the above address.

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been handled, you can request a review by writing to:

The Chief Executive County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Darlington Memorial Hospital Hollyhurst Road Darlington DL3 6HX

If, you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 Website: www.ico.gov.uk.

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Synchronicity Care Limited Registered Address: Centre for Health, Traynor Way, Whitehouse Business Park, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2RU Registered Number: 9679630 (July 2015)

A wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Yours sincerely

Joanna Tyrrell Freedom of Information Officer

Synchronicity Care Limited Registered Address: Centre for Health, Traynor Way, Whitehouse Business Park, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2RU Registered Number: 9679630 (July 2015)