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FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Welcome to the Publication Scheme for Boots Opticians Professional Services Limited (Boots Opticians) and D&A Franchisees 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 Boots Opticians Professional Services Limited and its Franchisees. 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 from the following address.

Stephen Perks - Data Protection Coordinator
D&A Campus
Aston Cross Business Park,
50 Rocky Lane,
Aston
Birmingham B6 5RQ

YOUR RIGHTS TO INFORMATION

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to promote openness and accountability amongst all organisations that receive public money.

Opticians' and optometrists' practices are obliged 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 this Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the scheme, please write to:

Customer Care Department,
D&A Campus
Aston Cross Business Park,
50 Rocky Lane,
Aston
Birmingham B6 5RQ

CLASSES OF INFORMATION

All NHS information at Boots Opticians Professional Services Limited and its Franchisees 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

   Dollond & Aitchison

   Established 250 years ago, D&A is the oldest retail chain on the High Street. Dollond & Aitchison is now a trading name of the Boots Opticians Group of companies which are jointly owned by De Rigo, one of the world's largest manufacturers and distributors of premium eyewear, and Alliance Boots (previous owners of Boots Opticians).

   The Boots Opticians Group includes:-

   Boots Opticians Professional Services Limited (Company Reg. no. 6779221) is responsible for the development of excellence in eye care and service to our customers and also is a shared services company and acts as agent for the other Boots companies in processing customer payments.

   Boots Eyewear Limited (Company Reg. no. 6779526) is responsible for the provision of frames, lenses and accessories

   Boots Contact Lenses Ltd (Company Reg. no. 102519 (J)) is responsible for our CLBP business and Contact Lenses

   From the support centre in Birmingham, Boots Opticians Professional Services supports a network of almost 400 branches nationwide, operating under the D&A brand (including franchisees). All branches use qualified optometrists able to give comprehensive quality eyetests. We have a wide range of stylish quality eyewear (approx 1000 different frame styles in each store), contact lenses and accessories.

   Boots Opticians Professional Services uses over 350 optometrists in addition to taking on around 60 pre-registered optometrists plus 40 dispensing optician/management trainees each year for it's D&A branded stores, as part of a comprehensive training scheme.

   For a list of our stores including contact phone numbers please call 0800 052 8000 or click here to use the store finder on our web site.

   Details of all opticians and optometrists registered in the UK are available from:

   General Optical Council tel: 0207 580 3898, web: www.optical.org.uk.

2. Our services

   All Boots Opticians Professional Services Limited and D&A Franchisees 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, or visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.

   Appointments for eye tests can be booked over the phone, or by dropping into one of our stores. To find the address or phone number of your local store, please call 0800 052 8000 or click here to use the store finder on our web site.

   Opening times vary, so please call your local store to confirm.

3. Financial and funding information

   For every eye test performed on behalf of the NHS the opticians practice receives a set fee. This in part covers expenses such as optometrist and staff salaries, equipment costs and other store overheads.

   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.college-optometrists.org

   Some of this information is also available in patient leaflets. These are freely available from our practices.

5. Our policies and procedures

   Complaints

   At Boots Opticians we aim to provide all of our customers with a high level of service and a range of quality products in a friendly, caring and professional manner. To be able to consistently deliver high service levels it is extremely important for us to be made aware if we ever fall short of customer expectations.

   We treat all complaints seriously.

   For further details please consult our complaints procedure at www.danda.co.uk/contact-us/complaints/.

   Data Protection

   Boots Opticians Professional Services Limited, Boots Eyewear Limited and Boots Contact Lenses Ltd are all registered with the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act 1998. At all times we seek to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. We take our commitments and obligations under the Act (and any subsequent legislation) very seriously. Customer/patient details are treated with respect and confidentiality. Boots Opticians Professional Services staff are trained in the observance of the Data Protection Act.

   Boots Opticians Professional Services Limited will ask you for your consent prior to the processing of your Personal Information. We will not process Personal Information unless you give us your consent. Your Personal Information may be shared within the D&A group for the purposes of providing you with products and services and information relating to these. Your personal information will only be used for the purposes stated when you opt in.

   It is the Company policy to establish and maintain appropriate systems, disciplines and working practices to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 (and any subsequent legislation).

   Health & Safety

   It is Boots Optician Professional Services Limited policy to comply fully with the requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act, 1974, regulations made and codes of practice approved, under the Act and to seek the co-operation of all employees of the Company, so far as is necessary, to enable the Company to comply with such requirements.

   Further it is the Company policy to positively establish and maintain appropriate systems, disciplines and workings practices geared to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all its employees, customers and other people using or visiting our premises.

6. This Publication Scheme

   In this class Boots Opticians Professional Services Limited 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.

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.

Accessed from our website - free of charge

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.

USEFUL RESOURCES

Websites:

Information Commissioner

www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Lord Chancellors Department

www.lcd.gov.uk

NHS Freedom of Information

www.foi.nhs.uk

Publications:

NHS Openness Code

www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/codemain.htm

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.

HMSO Guidance notes see www.hmso.gov.uk/guides.htm.

Published May 2009

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