The NHS Worcestershire Royal Hospital was criticised by inspectors for using a set of fridges in a car park to store bodies – hospital bosses said they were installed to cope with ‘growing demand’
An NHS hospital has been slammed by inspectors for storing dead bodies in a set of fridges in its car park.
Worcestershire Royal Hospital, managed by the NHS Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust, installed the external fridge ‘pods’ as an emergency mortuary during the Covid pandemic – and has kept them running ever since.
Now, concerns have been raised over the appropriateness of the fridges, after Human Tissue Authority (HTA) inspectors said they were not assured their location in the hospital’s car park would “sufficiently safeguard the dignity of the deceased”
Hospital bosses said the facility was being used to cope with high demand.
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The HTA said the NHS trust should find a more appropriate location for the external fridge bank should it continue to be used, reports Health Service Journal.
It was also suggested that an enclosure is set up around the fridge to protect the dignity of deceased patients during “transfer and release” of bodies.
“As such, under the current set up, the use of this area for body storage is deemed unsuitable”, the inspection added.
Another “major shortfall” listed in the inspection report concerned uneven floors in two of the outside refrigerator pods, which were still being used to store bodies despite failing health and safety risk assessments.
Inspectors wrote: “Outside refrigerator (pods four and five) at Worcestershire Royal Hospital have failed risk assessments by the Trust’s Health and Safety team due to the uneven surface in the loading bay area. As a result, the mortuary have been advised not to use these units.
“However, mortuary staff have left the pods powered on, and they are still being used when deemed necessary.
“Although the units were not in use on the day of the inspection, the inspection team expressed concerns that they continue to be used despite the advisory notice. This poses the risk of accidental damage to a body.”
A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said “A temporary specialist additional body store facility was commissioned as part of the Trust’s response to the Covid pandemic. With the demand on mortuary services continuing to grow, this facility has been maintained to provide the additional capacity and resilience required to deliver a safe and effective service if needed.
“While the facility is separate from the mortuary building, it is adjacent, in an area that has been converted from a small, barrier-controlled and non-public car park. Access is controlled and monitored by CCTV to ensure security.
“Additionally, it is important that all our facilities provide the necessary dignity and respect required.
“We are committed to providing empathetic and dignified care to our patients and families and are pleased that in its latest inspection the HTA found we were meeting the majority of standards.
“An action plan based on the HTA’s advice is now in progress.”