- Bodies at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust mortuary were discovered in an advanced state of deterioration because they were not transferred to freezers in time, a problem attributed to insufficient long-term freezer storage.
- Human Tissue Authority (HTA) inspectors found eight bodies showing advanced decomposition and identified a risk of the wrong bodies being released to funeral services due to a lack of systematic checks on identification wristbands.
- The HTA report from March highlighted three 'critical' and six 'major' shortfalls at the Queen’s Medical Centre mortuary, including inadequate freezer capacity and inconsistent checks on the condition of deceased individuals.
- These mortuary issues emerge after a report by former senior midwife Donna Ockenden detailed 'deeply embedded systemic failures' at the trust, leading to harm or death for over 500 mothers and babies, with examples of poor mortuary care, legal non-compliance and a ‘toxic’ culture.
- The trust's chief executive, Anthony May, has apologised and confirmed an action plan is being implemented with independent oversight, while Nottinghamshire Police recently arrested two men in connection with the mortuary's operating practices.
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