Audit signals widespread achievement of standards across post mortem sector with improvements still to be made

On 7 July, the HTA published a special post mortem sector report. The report contains a summary of the outcomes of the self-assessment exercise and audit of retained material that establishments were required to complete last summer, to check their systems of consent, traceability and disposal.

Issue date: 7 July 2011

A primary aim of the exercise was to assess the effectiveness of the HTA’s regulation of the post mortem sector and, in particular, to ensure that establishments’ operational procedures and practices are successful in preventing the unauthorised retention of post mortem tissue to ensure the public have confidence. The information we have gathered shows that the sector continues to have a strong focus on implementing systems that meet regulatory requirements and ensure tissue is kept only with the appropriate consent. This has resulted in a high incidence of HTA standards being met and a very low incidence of unauthorised tissue retention.

 There are still improvements to be made in some of the underlying systems supporting the delivery of post mortem services, and we hope the information contained in the report, and further guidance that the HTA will issue in the forthcoming months will be helpful to all those working in the sector.