Thursday 29 October 2026
Internal Reference Number: FOI_9659
Date Request Received: 23/09/2026 00:00:00
Date Request Replied To: 28/09/2026 00:00:00
This response was sent via: By Email
Request Summary: Specialling Expenditure
Request Category: Private Individuals
| Question Number 1: Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am requesting recorded information on "specialling" at your Trust. By specialling I mean 1:1 nursing observation of a patient, usually by bank or agency staff. It may also be called enhanced observation, enhanced care or ETOC. For the financial year 2025/26, please provide the cost of bank and agency specialling broken down by ward, along with the type of each ward or its main treatment function (for example, elderly care, stroke, surgical). If held, please also split each ward's cost between bank and agency staff. Illustrative example: • Ward A - Elderly care: £100,000 (Bank £70,000, Agency £30,000) • Ward B - Stroke: £50,000 (Bank £50,000, Agency £0) • Ward C - Surgical: £25,000 (Bank £20,000, Agency £5,000) If a ward breakdown is not held, the Trust's total cost is acceptable. Please say whether the bank figures include employer on-costs, and whether agency figures include fees and VAT. | |
| Answer To Question 1: Please see attached file. All bank costs include employer on costs and all agency costs include VAT (where applicable). To accompany this answer to question 1 please also see the documents listed below:  FOI 9659.xlsx | |
| Question Number 2: Finally, please confirm whether the Trust has a dedicated enhanced care team (a permanent team whose role is to provide 1:1 observation across wards). | |
| Answer To Question 2: No we do not. | |
| Please see Attachments: | |
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Our staff at Salisbury District Hospital have long been well regarded for the quality of care and treatment they provide for our patients and for their innovation, commitment and professionalism. This has been recognised in a wide range of achievements and it is reflected in our award of NHS Foundation Trust status. This is afforded to hospitals that provide the highest standards of care.
