Scotland publication scheme

Freedom of Information

Introduction

Vision Express provide ophthalmic services to the NHS as described in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FoI(S)A). Under the FoI(S)A, we are required to adopt a publication scheme setting out the information we routinely make available in relation to the NHS services we provide.

The publication scheme is a statutory obligation under Section 23 of the FoI(S)A and as such, we have adopted the Scottish Information Commissioner's Model Publication Scheme (MPS). The MPS can be found on the Scottish Information Commissioner's website: https://www.itspublicknowledge.info/.

By adopting the MPS, we must consider the six MPS Principles and the nine classes of information outlined by the Scottish Information Commissioner. We must also have regard to the public interest in allowing public access to information we hold in relation to the NHS services we provide. We are also required to disclose the fees (if any) to access the information and details of how to access the information that we publish.

This MPS includes information required by the classes of information and the six principles, these being found under the heading of ‘Guide to Information’ as is required by the Scottish Information Commissioner.

Your Rights to Information

Classes of Information

Class 1 – About us

Company

Vision Express (UK) Limited (Company) is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 02189907. The registered office for the company is Mere Way, Ruddington Fields Business Park, Ruddington, Nottingham, NG11 6NZ. Details of the directors of the company can be found via a search on the Companies House Website.

The Company and all of our opticians are registered with the General Optical Council (‘GOC’), Ophthalmic services are provided privately or in terms of our contract with the NHS. Vision Express also sells and supplies optical appliance including: glasses and contact lenses; other eye wear products; contact lens solutions; artificial tears; and eye care accessories.

The immediate parent and controlling party of the company is Vision Express Group Limited, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom. A copy of their financial statements can be obtained from our registered office.

With effect 1 July 2021, the ultimate parent and controlling party is EssilorLuxottica S.A.. Prior to 1 July 2021 the ultimate parent and controlling party was HAL Trust, a trust registered under Bermuda Law.

The largest group in which results of the company are consolidated is that headed by EssilorLuxottica S.A. whose financial statements are available to the public from 147, rue de Paris – 94220 Charenton-le-Pont – France.

The smallest group in which results of the company are consolidated is that headed by GrandVision N.V., whose financial statements are available to the public from The Base, Evert van de Beekstraat 1-80, Tower C, 6th floor, 1118 CL Schiphol, The Netherlands.

Class 2 – How we deliver our functions and services

We provide the following services in accordance with the terms of our contract with the NHS:

Sight tests to those individuals (including those who are eligible in terms of the NHS), these tests being carried out in accordance with the requirements of the NHS contract.

Dispensing of eyewear to eligible customers, including repairs to eyewear.

We invoice the NHS for the contracted services in line with the nationally agreed NHS rates.

We seek to enjoy a constructive and cooperative relationship with the bodies that authorise and regulate our business activities. This helps us maintain a reputation for high standards of business conduct. They expect us to comply with applicable laws, regulations and licence conditions.

If you are eligible for an NHS funded eye test you are welcome to make an appointment at a store that is convenient to you, where the test will be carried out. We also accept NHS vouchers generated for the purposes of purchasing glasses and contact lenses.

To find out if you are eligible for a free eye test and/or NHS vouchers, please contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk. Alternatively, you can contact your local health authority.

If you would like to make an appointment, you can do so in any of the following ways:

1. book an appointment online at www.visionexpress.com;
2. call your local store, or alternatively
3. contact customer services on 0800 038 2177.

If you would like further information about the value of the NHS vouchers that we accept and the NHS charges that apply (which are reviewed regularly by the NHS), please visit the following websites:

England - www.doh.gov.uk/ophthalmicservices;
Northern Ireland - www.dhsspsni.gov.uk;
Scotland - www.show.scot.nhs.uk; and
Wales - www.wales.gov.uk.

If you do not qualify for NHS assistance, we will perform an eye test which will be at your cost. You will also be required to pay for any glasses, contact lenses or other products that you purchase from us.

Details of the locations of our stores, their contact numbers and our opening times can be found on our website.

Class 3 – How we take decisions and what we have decided

In accordance with the Companies (Miscellaneous Reporting) Regulations 2018, we have applied the Wates Corporate Governance principles for Large Private Companies (the ‘Wates Principles’) – published by the Financial Reporting Council – as an appropriate framework for disclosing our corporate governance arrangements.

Further details can be found in our Annual Accounts, filed at Companies House. This includes information with regard to the following principles : Purpose and Leadership, Board Composition, Director Responsibilities, Opportunity and Risk, Remuneration, and Stakeholder Relationships and Engagement.

The executive committee, which comprises of board members and other senior Management Team members, meet regularly for scheduled meetings during the year and ensure that the requirements above are applied to all relevant matters considered at these meetings. The executive committee meetings have regular agenda topics including, but not limited to, actual and forecasted operational and financial performance, data compliance, updates on any litigation matters, and reports on key activities from each member of the executive committee.

GOC bodies corporate with the Vision Express Group have the requisite number of GOC registered directors as mandated by the GOC.

Class 4 – What we spend and how we spend it

As part of the EssilorLuxottica Group our principal stakeholder is our ultimate parent company. Regular Management Team meetings are held with GrandVision and EssilorLuxottica, to discuss trading results and forecasts, and agree future strategic plans. GrandVision N.V. is a subsidiary of EssilorLuxottica S.A..

Details of our financial performance can be found in our annual accounts filed at Companies House.

Class 5 – How we manage our human, physical and information resources

We have adopted numerous policies across the company including policies relating to our Code of Conduct, Data Protection, Information Security and Health and Safety.

Our Privacy Notice, Cookies Policy and terms of doing business with us are published on our website. This includes details of the 100-day guarantee that we provide on our glasses. Our Modern Slavery Report, and Gender Pay Gap Report are also freely available on our website

Mandatory core compliance training is undertaken by our staff on an annual basis.

Our Information Security Policy requires the classification of company information. Policies are classified as ‘Internal’, which requires that we do not publish these policies as they’re intended for our internal use only.

Class 6 – How we procure goods and services from external providers

The company procures its goods and services in line with an internal Procurement Policy and Tender Process, a document classified as ‘internal’.

We rely on our suppliers to make and distribute our products, provide the real estate through which we operate, and provide essential goods and services needed to operate our business. Our suppliers rely on us to generate revenue and employment for them. We have regular dialogue them to ensure that through ongoing communication our relationship remains positive, productive and mutually supportive.

Class 7 – How we are performing

Details of how we are performing are included in our annual accounts, which are available at Companies House

Class 8 – Our commercial publications

We do not hold or publish information under this class.

Class 9 – Our open data

We do not hold or publish information under this class.

Guide to information

Your data

All NHS information is processed (which includes the way in which we store, retain and destroy information) lawfully and in accordance with our retention policy for customer and patient data. When adopting our retention policy, we considered the contractual undertakings that we have given to the NHS as well as other guidelines.

We retain records of patient personal data as follows:

Adults - 8 years calculated from the date that the patient was last seen.
Children 18 and younger – up to the patients 25th birthday, or 26th birthday if the patient was 17 or younger on the date last seen.

Upon the expiry of the retention period, the record is anonymised.

Charges

Unless we publish otherwise, the publications are free. However, you may be charged for printed copies of information required. The charges will vary according to how the information is made available.

The charges are as follows:

Information accessed via www.visionexpress.com or 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. These charges will be reviewed regularly.

Exemptions

We can rely on exemptions provided for in the FoI(S)A to withhold information. The main exemptions applicable are the protection of commercial interests and the protection of personal information under the Data Protection Act 2018.

If an exemption does apply, we will notify you of the relevant exemption in our response to you and provide an explanation as to the reasons why the exemption is relied upon.

Complaints or Requests for Information

To make a request for information by email, please contact us as follows:

To make an information request under the FoI(S)A, please email us at: The Compliance Department at Vision Express, legal@visionexpress.com.
To escalate a complaint or for purposes of providing feedback on our Guide to Information, please email: The Legal Department at Vision Express, legal@visionexpress.com.
To make a data subject access request or wish to escalate a matter to the Data Protection Officer,
- please email us privacy@visionexpress.com; or
- email us using our Contact Us form

We will aim to acknowledge receipt of your email within 48 hours.

Reviews of a decision or escalating a complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request for information, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within 40 working days of the date of receipt of our response to your request for information and should be addressed to: The Legal Team at Vision Express, legal@visionexpress.com.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Scottish Information Commissioner for a decision. Your application should be made within 6 months of when you receive your review response.

If you have any other complaint relating to this Guide to Information, you can address your complaint to The Compliance Department at Vision Express, legal@visionexpress.com.

If we are unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Scottish Information Commissioner who oversees the FoI(S)A. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Email: enquiries@ItsPublicKnowledge.info; or
Post: Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, KY16 9DS (telephone number: 01334 464610).

There is a formal appeal mechanism provided for by the Act when information is withheld. Further details on this will be available on the Commissioner's website at www.itspublicknowledge.info.

Copyright in the whole and every part of this publication scheme and the whole or every part of the material that we make available belongs to Vision Express.

Material available through third party links is the copyright of the relevant owner.

Any material belonging to Vision Express may not be used, sold, transferred, copied, adapted, or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or form. Our material may not be used in or on any media by any person without the prior written consent of Vision Express or of the relevant owner of the information. Permission to use material owned by third parties should be requested from the relevant owner.

Warning: Any an unauthorised act in relation to this confidential copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.