/ John Grenfell
Performance and Information Manager
City and County of Swansea
Directorate of Social Services
Oldway Centre
36 Orchard Street
Swansea
SA1 5LD
01792 636765
Our ref: SH3.847
23rd April 2010
If you require this or any other information in another format e.g. Braille, audio tape or a different language, please telephone
01792 637345
Dear A.Elliot
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
Thank you for your request for information regarding the use of agency social work professionals which was received by the Authority on 25th March 2010.
Your request contained eleven questions and a response to these questions is provided below.
While I can confirm that the Council does hold some of the information requested in these questions, we are withholding certain information since we consider that exemptions within the Freedom of Information apply to parts of your request. Relevant exemptions will be covered within the individual responses to your questions.
PTO
1. a copy of the RSD, "Neutral Vendor", contract and fee schedules for recruitment to Swansea Council
We do not operate a ‘Neutral Vendor’ contract. Our arrangement is a ‘Category Vendor Managed Service’. This means RSD specifically manage our Social Care category and have the capability to supply directly or utilise their second tier suppliers where necessary.
Part of the contract has been attached. We cannot provide the full contract, however, since some of the information contained within the contract is commercially sensitive as are the fee schedules. As a result, FoIA Section 43 - Commercial Interests applies to this part of the request. This is because disclosure would make it less likely for companies or individuals to provide commercially sensitive information in the future and thus prejudicing the Authority’s ability to negotiate effectively in the renewal and awarding of contracts.
Consequently, on balance, we feel that in the commercial interests of the Authority the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
2. all agencies on the RSD contract for the supply of social workers, senior practitioners, assistant team managers, team managers and service managers (referred to from now as "qualified social work professionals") to Swansea Council
Liquid Personnel, Sanctuary Personnel Ltd, Ranstad, SWIM, Social Care UK, Bluecare/HCL, Reed Recruitment, Medicare First, Serving the Nation, Caritas Recruitment.
3. all agencies currently supplying Swansea Council with agency social work professionals.
RSD are the principal agency. However, despite the rationalisation to RSD providing all agency social work professionals, a contract with Bluecare for one social work professional remains ongoing.
4. the total number of qualified social work professionals currently working on an agency basis Swansea Council
The total number is 33.
5. the number and grade of qualified social work professionals currently working on an agency basis at Swansea Council by supplier
We have 28 social workers and 4 senior social work practitioners from RSD. We have one additional social worker from Bluecare.
6. the number and grade of qualified social work professionals currently working on an agency basis at Swansea Council by department
We have 16 social workers and 2 senior social work practitioners working in Child and Family teams; 3 social workers in the Child Disability Team; 7 within Fostering and Adoption; 1 social worker situated in a mental health team; and finally 2 social workers and 2 senior practitioners working in social work teams classed as ‘other’.
7. the pay and agency charge rate of each qualified social work professional currently working on an agency basis at Swansea Council by department
We have decided not to disclose this information as the following exemption of the FOIA applies – Section 43: Commercial Interests. This exemption applies because, when this information is combined with other data, it may be possible to calculate the operating margins used by RSD. Releasing such data may, again, make it less likely for companies or individuals to provide commercially sensitive information in the future thus affecting the Authority’s bargaining position when negotiating contracts.
8. the fiscal budget for qualified social work professional recruitment through agencies for 2009-2010
There is no specific budget for the use of social work agency professionals.
9. the fiscal budget for qualified social work professional recruitment through agencies for 2010-2011
There is no specific budget for the use of social work agency professionals.
10. the total fiscal spend on agency qualified social work professionals by department for the last 12 months/
11. the total fiscal spend on agency qualified social work professionals by agency for the last 12 months
The overall spend on social care agency workers for 2009 was £1,584,194 (this is made up of a contract spend of £1,153,247 and a non-contract spend of £430,947). Please note that these costings are for all social care agency workers; they are not restricted to qualified social work professionals.
We are not prepared to disaggregate these values by agency or by department for the reasons outlined in response to question 7.
If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been handled, you can request a review by writing to the Corporate Complaints Manager, City & County of Swansea, Room 2.2.3, The Civic Centre, Swansea SA1 3SN.
If you are still unhappy with the handling of your request, you have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
The Information Commissioner’s Office – Wales,
Cambrian Buildings, Mount Stuart Square
Cardiff CF10 5FL
Telephone: 029 2044 8044
E-mail:
There is no charge for making an appeal.
Yours sincerely
John Grenfell
Performance and Information Manager / Freedom of Information Officer
Commissioning Support Unit
Social Services Department
City and County of Swansea