Mistakes in Yorkshire's mortuaries caused damaged to dozens of bodies, Human Tissue Authority data reveals

Dead bodies have been damaged on multiple occasions and human tissue wrongly disposed of in mistakes in Yorkshire's mortuaries, data has revealed.
Dozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: ShutterstockDozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: Shutterstock
Dozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: Shutterstock

Dozens of mistakes have been reported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out.

Freedom of Information requests sent to the Human Tissue Authority, which was founded off the back of the organs scandal of the 1990s when it was discovered that hospitals had been retaining body parts of dead patients without relatives' permission, revealed there were 41 errors reported at mortuaries in Yorkshire and the Humber between 2014 and the end of last year.

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Errors and mistakes, according to bereavement charity Cruse, can be "very traumatising" for families who have lost a loved one.

Dozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: ShutterstockDozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: Shutterstock
Dozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: Shutterstock

Among those included three instances of damage caused to bodies at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield last year, and two similar reports from Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) in the same year.

The LGI also had the highest number of mistakes reported, with seven recorded over the past six years.

The data also includes an instance of human tissue being "wrongly disposed of" last year at Harrogate District Hospital, although the hospital has claimed this incident occurred in its histology department rather than pathology.

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Mistakes which must be reported to the HTA include damages caused to bodies, releasing the wrong body to funeral directors, presenting the wrong body for viewing - i.e. by police or relatives, and security breaches.

Harrogate District HospitalHarrogate District Hospital
Harrogate District Hospital

Accidental damage was the most commonly-reported incident, according to the figures, accounting for around half (20) of all reports in Yorkshire and the Humber.

There were also five instances where the wrong body was released and two serious security breaches. Other mistakes reported in the region included post-mortems not being carried out in the way consented, the wrong disposal/retention of fetal tissue, organs being discovered after a body was released and one incident in 2014 where staff had failed to spot a broken fridge, leading to the closure of the mortuary.

Overall, there have been more than 600 mistakes reported to the HTA by mortuaries in England and Wales in the past six years. Of these, approximately a third (203) were in relation to accidental damage.

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Andy Langford, clinical director for Cruse, said post-mortems can add to relatives' grief in the best of times, particularly for those whose faith or culture requires funerals to be held straight away.

Dozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: ShutterstockDozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: Shutterstock
Dozens of mistakes have beenreported at mortuaries in the region where post-mortem examinations are carried out. Picture: Shutterstock

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.

“I have certainly talked to someone who said they didn’t have words to describe it.”

Dr Phil Wood, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Our mortuary team play a vital role in caring for deceased patients and ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect. "Mistakes of this nature are rare, and we have apologised to the families involved for the distress this has caused.

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"We have learnt from these incidents and new measures are in place to prevent this happening again.”

Leeds General InfirmaryLeeds General Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary

A spokesman for Harrogate District Hospitals NHS Trust meanwhile said: “In April 2019 a specimen was, according to our laboratory procedures, incorrectly disposed of at Harrogate District Hospital. Please be assured that this did not include foetal tissue.

“At the Trust, we have a clear focus on maintaining a strong, open safety culture and so the incident was reported to the Human Tissue Authority. At the time, we carried out a full investigation which led to us putting in place some changes to working practice to reduce the risk of such incidents happening again.​

“The Human Tissue Authority confirmed in June 2019 that it was satisfied that an appropriate investigation had been undertaken.”

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The HTA said the number of reported 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 spokeswoman 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 enquiries function - and in issuing advice and guidance based on shared learning from across the sector, we help to ensure that the risk of incidents happening again and elsewhere is reduced.”

Trudie Davies, Chief Operating Officer at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust which operates Pinderfields, said: "“The Trust confirms the three incidents were reported appropriately to the Human Tissue Authority, and thoroughly investigated. The HTA are satisfied by the investigation and corrective actions.

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“We are sorry that these accidents occurred. However minor such incidents are, it is important we maintain a high level of dignity and respect for all our patients. The learning from all these incidents has resulted in an improvement of process to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.”

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