Hospital mortuaries left bodies to decompose, inspectors find

Inspectors also visited King’s College Hospital in London in 2022 and found “critical” shortfalls in mortuary services, including mouldy conditions.

Several adult bodies “had been stored in excess of 30 days in the fridge units”

“Whilst these bodies were subject to regular condition checking, signs of deterioration were present.”

The long-term frozen storage unit was “at capacity”, the report found.

Similarly, in 2022, a report into facilities at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford identified inadequate storage provision and bodies showing signs of deterioration.

The issues were first investigated by the Health Service Journal, which stated inspectors found at least 10 cases in the past two years where bodies that had begun to decompose.

A spokeswoman for the Human Tissue Association said: “The management of the deceased in some licensed mortuaries was identified as a concern through the HTA on-site inspection process.

“The deceased should be stored at temperatures that preserve their condition and there should be sufficient storage provision and alternatives in place if needed.

“We expect all licensed establishments to be compliant with our standards and ensure the dignity of the deceased is maintained.”

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said that the trust had improved communication with the coroner’s service and other partners “to ensure this doesn’t happen again”.

Both King’s College Hospital and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust said mortuaries had been expanded, with Oxford citing “rising regional and national demand for mortuary facilities”.