Mum was sent photo of dead baby: NHS trust's mortuary failings explained
Summary
A review of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust found serious problems in how the mortuary handled babies and mothers after death. Families experienced distress due to mistakes such as wrong baby releases, poor storage, and disrespectful treatment of deceased babies over many years.Key Facts
- The review covers mortuary failings at Nottingham University Hospitals from 2008 to 2025.
- Some babies were stored for long times without proper freezer storage; one stayed for 772 days.
- A baby was disposed of as clinical waste, and another was placed in a mortuary space for an adult.
- One family received graphic photos of their deceased baby with a cost letter, causing further trauma.
- A mother was mistakenly told her baby was a boy and buried him as such, but later found out the baby was a girl.
- Poor communication and a lack of coordination existed between bereavement services, funeral directors, and mortuary staff.
- The report highlighted insensitive language used by some staff when referring to babies, calling them "fetuses," "samples," or "specimens."
- Incidents included a stillborn baby being left in a hospital fridge for four days before being moved to the mortuary.
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