Mortuary Services at LTHT provide facilities for deceased patient storage, viewing and release to Funeral Directors. There is also provision for autopsies including autopsies for HM Coroner.
Mortuaries are located at the Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s University Hospital sites and are fully regulated by the Human Tissue Act under the Post Mortem Licence. Mortuary Services are also accredited against ISO15189: 2022 by the UKAS.
Viewing of the Deceased
Viewings are by appointment only. Within Mortuary working hours (09.00 to 15.30 Monday to Friday) appointments should be made directly with Mortuary staff. Contact numbers are 0113 206 4312 (SJUH) and 0113 392 3313 (LGI).
Outside Mortuary working hours, including Weekends and Bank Holidays appointments should be made between the ward on which the patient passed away and the Portering Supervisors.
Identification of Deceased Patients
The deceased must have at least two identification bands attached. These must display at least 3 full accurate patient identifications including (as a minimum) the Full Name, DOB, address or NHS number. There should also be two fully completed, body cards (LTH 0293), one attached to the shroud, and the other attached to the outer sheet or body bag containing the deceased. Nursing or Medical staff that cared for the deceased will be called to the Mortuary to identify and add identification bands for patients who bear inadequate or inconsistent identification information. Please refer to the Positive Identification of Patients Policy available on intranet.
Transfer of Deceased Patients
Hospital Deaths
These patients are transferred to the Mortuary by the Facilities Service (Portering), at the request of individual wards. The guidelines given in the LTH infection control policy and written procedures for the safe and respectful transfer of deceased patients to the Mortuaries must be adhered to.
Facilities can be contacted via switchboard: 0113 2432799.
Community Deaths
These patients are transferred into the Mortuary by local Funeral Directors at the request of HM Coroner or the Coroners’ Officer.
Post Mortem Examination (Autopsy) and Consent
Consent for a post mortem examination can be offered by the deceased’s treating Clinician, The Nurse Specialist for post mortem consent (mobile number available via switchboard) or requested by the person in a qualifying relationship to the deceased. The giving of consent is a positive act and valid and appropriate consent should have been provided for the post mortem examination to proceed. A post mortem examination may be full or limited in scope and this should be discussed with the treating Clinician, Pathologist and person in a qualifying relationship to the deceased providing consent.
For further information please refer to the: Human Tissue Authority Website.
Her Majesty’s Coroner
HM Coroners post mortem examination is done at the request of HM Coroner and consent from the person in a qualifying relationship to the deceased is NOT required. A death is referred to HM Coroner by the deceased’s treating Clinician via email.
For further information please refer to Referral to HM Coroner.
The Bereavement Liaison Office can be contacted on:
SJUH: 0113 206 4162 / 6432
LGI: 0113 392 3560 / 2674
For more information visit our LTHT Bereavement Services website.
Patient Release – Adult
All adult deceased patients are released from the hospital via the Mortuary; Funeral Directors are NOT permitted into the clinical areas. Deceased patients are released via the Mortuary during normal working hours, once all the required documentation has been completed. Deceased patients that are required to be released outside of Mortuary working hours are released either by the On Call Mortuary Technician (only under instruction from HM Coroner (or the Coroner’s Officer)) or by authorisation from the Clinical Site Manager (contacted via switchboard).
Patient Release Baby / Child
Most babies / children are received into the Mortuary and are released to the Funeral Directors within Mortuary hours. However, some parents wish to take their baby or child home with them or transfer them to a Hospice. Both Delivery Suites and Children’s Hospital have Standard Operating Procedures: Taking a Baby, Child or Young Person from Hospital after Death and Guidelines: End of Life Care Guidelines for Infants, Children and Young People for these releases. These are available on Leeds Health Pathways.