NHS Trust's Mortuary Failings Explained After Mother Sent Photos of Dead Baby

Hundreds of families have suffered further trauma due to severe failings in the mortuary service at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, according to a major review. The report detailed instances where mothers and babies experienced "lost dignity" following deaths.

Failures highlighted in the review include one baby being disposed of as clinical waste and another placed in a mortuary space already occupied by an adult. In a separate case, the wrong baby was released to funeral directors. These issues are not confined to the past, as eight bodies were found in a state of "advanced deterioration" in March due to a lack of freezer space.

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I'd always wanted my last image of Kouper to be when I was holding him in hospital while he was still breathing. That was taken away from me - because my last image of him now is those mortuary pictures.

Bereaved parents Natalie and David Needham's trauma was intensified when they received a disc containing graphic color photos of their son Kouper's post-mortem examination. The disc arrived with a letter detailing the costs associated with his death, including the expense of a nurse informing them of their son's passing. "I'd always wanted my last image of Kouper to be when I was holding him in hospital while he was still breathing," Natalie said. "That was taken away from me - because my last image of him now is those mortuary pictures."

Donna Ockenden, who led the review, launched a full investigation into post-death care at the trust, examining 17 babies and one adult. She concluded that "many incidents involving poor post-death care share striking similarities, showing a marked lack of learning." The review also noted a "siloed way of working" between the bereavement service, mortuary, and funeral directors. Some clinicians reportedly used "dehumanising" language, referring to babies as "fetus," "sample," or "specimen."

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Many incidents involving poor post-death care share striking similarities, showing a marked lack of learning.