1) Does the therapy dog receive a salary, stipend or any other form of payment (directly or indirectly, e.g. via a handler or charity)?
The therapy dog does not receive any salary.
The Therapy Dog Practitioner is a paid member of staff. The remedial costs of the therapy dog are provided for by the Trust Charity ELHT & Me.
1a) If so, please provide details of the amount and source of the funds, how these funds are allocated or administered, and whether the dog (or its handler) is formally on the Trust's payroll.
See above, the Therapy Dog Practitioner is a Trust employee (Band 5 for 21.5 hours).
No information is available for the amount of funds. All funds are administered by the Trust Charity ELHT & Me.
2) Please provide copies of any internal policies, risk assessments or standard operating procedures governing the presence of animals (including therapy dogs) in clinical areas.
There is a Standard Operating Procedure in relation to the Therapy Dog Service. Please see attachment.
2a) Please include any documentation, evidence base or guidance used to support that the use of a therapy dog in a clinical environment does not breach infection prevention and control (IPC) standards or relevant NHS guidance.
The therapy dog does not breach any infection prevention and control standards or guidance. There is strict adherence to the Trusts policies on this matter and it is under regular review by the Infection, Prevention & Control Team.
