Bodies “left to rot” in NHS hospitals across England, reports say

Bodies have been neglected at some NHS hospitals, according to inspectors’ reports. Inadequate storage facilities and a lack of freezing space have led to disturbing scenarios where some corpses are left at inappropriate temperatures for excessive periods, Human Tissue Authority (HTA) officials have revealed.

Official HTA guidelines say that bodies should be moved to frozen storage after spending 30 days in refrigerators, or even sooner, depending on the condition of the body. But according to recent reports, NHS trusts have not always followed these rules, keeping bodies in the fridge for far longer than is recommended.

A specific example that came to light last year at Leeds General Infirmary was brought up by the HTA: “The inspection team noted an organism that had been stored for 70 days and had not been stored in the freezer, although it had been released by the coroner.

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This body showed signs of decomposition and had dirty coverings. A second body was stored for 47 days, was also the subject of a coroner’s release notice, was not refrigerated and showed signs of decomposition.”

Inspectors at Leeds General were dismayed to find no cleaning program for the body depot and “the door from the visitor area to the staff office is not fitted with a lock… This allows potential access to the main mortuary”.

At the Royal Blackburn Hospital, an inspection in 2022 revealed serious problems, including “two bodies in an advanced state of decomposition as a result of not being moved to frozen storage after 30 days”, reports Wales Online.

In south London, King’s College Hospital faced “critical” problems last year, with inspectors finding moldy and insect-infested conditions in body storage areas.

The report highlighted: “At the time of the inspection, there were several adult corpses that had been stored for more than 30 days in the cold storage units. While these bodies were subject to regular condition checks, signs of deterioration were present. freezer storage to prevent further deterioration, however the long-term storage unit was at capacity.”

In 2022, Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital was also scrutinized as inspectors found insufficient storage space and “identified a number of bodies which had been kept in cold storage for longer than the recommended 30 days, which started to show signs of deterioration”.

The Health Service Journal (HSJ), which originally brought this alarming situation to light, found at least 10 cases since 2022 where corpses were found to be decomposing in various facilities.

An HTA spokeswoman said: “The conduct of the deceased in some licensed mortuaries was identified as a concern through the HTA’s on-site inspection process. The deceased should be stored at temperatures which preserve their condition and there should be sufficient provision for storage and alternatives if necessary.”

“We expect all licensed facilities to meet our standards and ensure that the dignity of the deceased is maintained. When we find deficiencies, we work with units to ensure an action plan for improvement is put in place, lessons are learned and the problem is escalated. within the unit, if necessary.”

Dr Magnus Harrison, chief medical officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Our aim is to provide a safe and dignified service in our mortuaries for people who have died and unfortunately in this case this was not the case . We now have improved systems, including better communication with the coroner and our respective partners, to ensure this does not happen again when next of kin information is available.

A spokeswoman for King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “Following a 2022 inspection report by the HTA, we have significantly increased the size of our mortuary supplies.”

A spokeswoman for University Hospitals Oxford said: “We take great care to ensure that our patients are always treated with compassion and dignity, including after death. Some deterioration of the deceased in cold storage, even for short periods, is expected and would not normally be met. the notification criteria under the duty of honest guidance.”

“The usual practice is to transfer the deceased to frozen storage if they are to be stored for more than 30 days, although this depends on the condition of the deceased, the location and availability of adequate freezer space and the likely timing of transfer to pump directors funerals. for which receiving the deceased in a frozen state brings additional challenges and could delay a funeral”.

“Freezing itself affects the appearance of a body and therefore tends to be avoided when the deceased is likely to move into the care of a funeral director in the very near future. The OUH mortuary has recently been renovated and extended to increase capacity in the context of increased regional and national demand for mortuary facilities.”