Series of blunders at NI mortuaries revealed – including a post-mortem being carried out on wrong body

A series of disturbing blunders at mortuaries in Northern Ireland – such as a post-mortem being carried out on the wrong body – can be revealed.
The mortuary area at Craigavon Area Hospital where five of the 11 mistakes in NI over the past six years were recordedThe mortuary area at Craigavon Area Hospital where five of the 11 mistakes in NI over the past six years were recorded
The mortuary area at Craigavon Area Hospital where five of the 11 mistakes in NI over the past six years were recorded

A total of 11 mistakes were recorded here over the past six years, a UK-wide JPI Media data investigation has found – five of them at Craigavon Area Hospital, four at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and two at the State Pathologist’s Department.

Among the mistakes recorded at Craigavon Area Hospital were an incident when a fetal specimen was lost in transit between theatres, and another where – due to human error – the wrong body was released to the funeral director.

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On another occasion, an organ was discovered in the mortuary which should have been transferred to a research establishment approximately a year earlier.

Among the incidents recorded at the Royal were accidental damage to a body, inadvertent retention of an organ against the family’s wishes and use of an outdated version of a transfer form which meant that a post-mortem which should have taken place did not proceed.

In another instance human tissue was cremated when the family had wanted the tissue returned for burial.

At the State Pathologist’s Department the incidents recorded included a post-mortem examination of the wrong body.

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In the incident, whilst labelling retained specimens the pathologist noted that the specimen labels did not match the name on the toe-tag of the body and it was established that the wrong body had been laid out for post-mortem.

Andy Langford, clinical director for the charity Cruse Bereavement Care, said errors made could be “very traumatising for families”.

He said: “If you were standing in a room expecting to view the body of a loved one and you are presented with a person who is recognisably different, you can imagine how that would feel. It is beyond shocking, really.”

He said mortuaries had to ensure every possible safeguard was in place to prevent them.

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The Human Tissue Authority said the number of reportable incidents represented a “very small proportion” of the 315,500 deceased people who entered the care of these mortuaries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland each year.

A spokesperson said: “Although incidents such as these are rare, they are distressing for the families of those involved. When this happens, we work with the establishment to ensure that a thorough investigation is undertaken, lessons are learned, and that improvements are made to mitigate the risks of similar incidents happening again.

“Through providing advice and guidance – both during our on-site inspections and via our inquiries function – we help to ensure that the risk of incidents happening again and elsewhere is reduced.”