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GHNHSFT - Redirect > Histology Block and Slide Archive Storage

Freedom of Information request Histology Block and Slide Archive Storage

Response published: 4 September 2026
GHNHSFT - Redirect

FOI Request

Dear FOI Officer, Please treat this as a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. For the histology/cellular pathology department: 1. For each of the last 3 completed financial years, how many histology blocks and how many histology slides were archived/retained by the Trust? Please state whether the figures given are exact or estimated, and which years are covered if not 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25. 2. Does the Trust use any off-site storage (third-party or separate premises) for archived histology blocks or slides, in addition to or instead of on-site storage? Please answer yes or no. 3. As at the most recent date this is known, how many histology blocks and how many histology slides are currently held on-site? 4. What method or equipment is currently used to store archived histology blocks and slides (e.g. named commercial storage/cabinet system, in-house shelving, other)? If a named commercial product or system is used, please state the product/supplier name. 5. Is any barcode, RFID, or electronic tracking system used to record the location of archived blocks or slides? If so, please state the name of the system/software. 6. If the Trust holds a contract or licence for a named storage or tracking system as described in questions 4 to 5, what is the current annual contract or licence cost? If this figure is withheld as commercially sensitive, please confirm this and provide a cost banding if one is available (e.g. under £5,000 / £5,000 to £20,000 / over £20,000). 7. How many whole time equivalent (WTE) staff are employed within the histology archive/storage function as at 31 August 2026, excluding pathologists engaged in reporting? If any part of this request is not held, please confirm this specifically for that part rather than declining the request as a whole. Yours faithfully,

FOI Response

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 279-2026

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.

You asked:

1. For each of the last 3 completed financial years, how many histology blocks and how many histology slides were archived/retained by the Trust? Please state whether the figures given are exact or estimated, and which years are covered if not 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25.

2. Does the Trust use any off-site storage (third-party or separate premises) for archived histology blocks or slides, in addition to or instead of on-site storage? Please answer yes or no.

3. As at the most recent date this is known, how many histology blocks and how many histology slides are currently held on-site?

4. What method or equipment is currently used to store archived histology blocks and slides (e.g. named commercial storage/cabinet system, in-house shelving, other)? If a named commercial product or system is used, please state the product/supplier name.

5. Is any barcode, RFID, or electronic tracking system used to record the location of archived blocks or slides? If so, please state the name of the system/software.

6. If the Trust holds a contract or licence for a named storage or tracking system as described in questions 4 to 5, what is the current annual contract or licence cost? If this figure is withheld as commercially sensitive, please confirm this and provide a cost banding if one is available (e.g. under £5,000 / £5,000 to £20,000 / over £20,000).

7. How many whole time equivalent (WTE) staff are employed within the histology archive/storage function as at 31 August 2026, excluding pathologists engaged in reporting?

Our response:

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust does not provide histopathology services and therefore does not hold the information requested.

You may wish to redirect your request to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which may hold relevant information, at ghn-tr.foi@nhs.net.

Next steps:

Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:

Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.