FOI – 2024-000395 NDC Warehouse 'Box' Details (HTML)

Date received – 27 November 2024 | Date responded – 24 December 2024

Request

We are making a request under the above Act for information relating to box within the NHS Distribution Centre, Larkhall, 2 Swinhill Avenue, ML9 2QX where items are stored and then picked from to be placed in the modula.

In particular, we require the following information:

Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing the risk assessments in place for the box, where items are stored and then the items are manually picked, to be placed in the modula within NHS Distribution Centre, in place as at 4 June 2024.

Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing instructions given to employees for using the box to store items and then having to manually pick items from the box, to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre, as at 4 June 2024.

Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing manual handling instructions given to employees, in connection with the task of using the box to store items and then having to manually pick items from the box to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre, as at 4 June 2024.

Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing any changes to the procedure of using the box to store items and then having to manually pick items from the box to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre made on or after 4 June 2024.

Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing all complaints made involving the box used to store items and then where items are manually picked, to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre, for a period of 12 months prior to 4 June 2024. (Please redact all information of those making such complaints to make this request compliant with data protection.)

Information including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing all accidents made involving the box used to store items and then where items are manually picked, to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre, a period of 12 months prior to 4 June 2024. (Please redact all information of those involved in such accidents, to make this request compliant with data protection.)

We would also request any photographs held relating to the above requested information

Response

We have now completed the search of our records and can provide you with the following information:

1. Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing the risk assessments in place for the box, where items are stored and then the items are manually picked, to be placed in the modula within NHS Distribution Centre, in place as at 4 June 2024.

Under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act, 2002 (FOISA) an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold it. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) does not hold any risk assessments undertaken specifically for ‘the box’, this is because ‘the box’ is treated as a standard pallet, in which the sides collapse for ease of storage. Please find attached the following Risk Assessments (RA’s) which cover this:

• Appendix 1 - BDD302-118 Putaway & Replenishment of Product at Canderside, Coddington, Titan RA
• Appendix 2 - BDD302-137 Modula Picking Machines (Picking & Replenishment) RA

2. Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing instructions given to employees for using the box to store items and then having tomanually pick items from the box, to be placed in the modula, within NHS DistributionCentre, as at 4 June 2024.

Under Section 17 of FOISA an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold it. NSS does not hold any information detailing instructions given to employees for using the box. As mentioned above ‘the box’ is treated as a standard pallet.

Please find attached Appendix 3 - BDD304-033 Modula Picking Machines (Picking & Replenishment) SSoW. This document is a Safe System of Work instructions which is distributed out to NDC Warehouse operatives by Supervisors. It is also available on our intranet website for all staff to view as and when required.

Please also find attached Appendix 4 - NDS operations Always Check Pallets Cages and Load Stability.

This document is a staff briefing given to NDC Warehouse operatives by Supervisors.

**3. Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing manual handling instructions given to employees, in connection with the task of using the box to store items and then having to manually pick items from the box to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre, as at 4 June 2024. **

Under Section 17 of the FOISA an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold it. NSS does not hold any information detailing manual handling instructions given to employees, in connection with the task of using the box.

All warehouse operators must undertake a Manual handling passport on Turas Learn before starting their role, which is valid for 3 years from date of completion. Turas Learn is an online training platform used by NSS for staff training.

Please find attached Appendix 5 - Manual Handling slides, which is a copy of all slides from this manual handling training.

4. Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing any changes to the procedure of using the box to store items and then having to manually pickitems from the box to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre made on or after 4 June 2024.

Under Section 17 of FOISA an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold it. NSS does not hold any information detailing any changes to the procedure of using the box as per our answer to Question 3.

5. Information, including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing all complaints made involving the box used to store items and then where items are manuallypicked, to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre, for a period of 12 months prior to 4 June 2024. (Please redact all information of those making suchcomplaints to make this request compliant with data protection.)

Under Section 17 of FOISA an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold it. NSS does not hold any information detailing any complaints made involving the box. This is because we have no recorded complaints involving the box within the NDC Warehouse.

6. Information including sight of any written or electronic communication detailing all accidents made involving the box used to store items and then where items are manuallypicked, to be placed in the modula, within NHS Distribution Centre, a period of 12 months prior to 4 June 2024. (Please redact all information of those involved in such accidents, tomake this request compliant with data protection.)

There has been a total of 19 accidents recorded within NDC Warehouse with only 1 accident being recorded involving the box.

NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) can confirm that we do hold this information however, under FOISA Section 36(1) for “Claim to Confidentiality of Communications” it is subject to exemption. The information requested is part of ongoing litigation and is subject to legal professional privilege and is therefore confidential.

As the Section 36(1) exemption is a “Qualified” exemption NSS have carried out a Public Interest Test so that the exemption can be applied. The information relates to legal professional privilege, and although there is always a clear public interest in relation to Scottish public authorities acting in an open and transparent manner, the disclosure of legal advice would substantially prejudice the ability of the Central Legal Office (CLO) to give full and frank legal advice to their clients when legal advice is required. For this reason, NSS have assessed that the balance is in favour of maintaining the exemption in order to ensure that legal advice can be obtained in a way that allows the CLO to put in place arrangements for the provision of full and frank legal advice to its clients.

We would also request any photographs held relating to the above requested information.

Please find attached Appendix 6 - IMG_0353, which is an image of the box in question.

I trust you will find the information of assistance and if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. ​ If you are unhappy with any aspect of how we have dealt with your request, you can make representations to us asking us to review the handling of your request. ​ If you require any further information, please contact the Associate Director Governance and Board Services (Board Secretary) within 40 working days of the date of this correspondence. ​

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​ If after a review you are still unhappy, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner, who can be contacted at Kinburn Castle, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, or via their application form. ​ National Services Scotland (NSS) is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. You can view all FOI responses within our FOI Publications repository.