Security concerns in mortuaries, inspection finds

Two hospitals in the South East had inadequate security for their mortuaries, assessments found.

Eastbourne District General Hospital and the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford were both found to be non-compliant with licensing standards in an inspection by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA).

A national exercise in August and September 2024 found 37 out of 128 mortuaries checked were non-compliant with licensing standards.

Both hospitals said they had now rectified the situation.

Mortuaries were asked to self-assess their security and non-compliant sites were followed up with meetings and visits from the HTA.

The standards covered access to the mortuary, documentation of those visiting it, CCTV use, out-of-hours security, and access and supervision of contractors and external engineers.

The outcome of the assessments were revealed in the Health Service Journal through a Freedom of Information request.

Mortuary security shot up the agenda after maintenance supervisor David Fuller was jailed for violating the bodies of over 100 women and girls in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust mortuaries for over a decade.

Fuller repeatedly accessed the mortuary at Tunbridge Wells Hospital alone in the evenings by claiming he needed to check equipment.

An inquiry into the circumstances around the assaults was highly critical of access controls at the trust where he worked, and is due to report later this year on the security of mortuaries and funeral directors nationally.

A spokesperson for East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Eastbourne District General Hospital, said: "Following the HTA assessment last year we have taken steps to rectify the issues found to ensure that our mortuaries are fully compliant."

East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, which operates William Harvey Hospital, said: "Mortuary security is a priority for us. We have addressed the issue raised at last year's assessment and are now compliant."

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