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Shortage of Pathologists forcing illegal transportation of children’s bodies

Members of the British Medical Association, Royal College of Pathologists and coroners have claimed that bodies are being moved illegally for post-mortems due to a serious shortage of pathologists, especially paediatric pathologists.

The Coroners Act 1988 only allows transportation for post-mortem to an adjoining district but leading experts say that law is frequently broken. The most offences are reportedly in the south-west of England, where children’s bodies are frequently sent to specialist centres in Oxford or London.

The shortage of paediatric pathologists has worsened since the Alder Hey children’s hospital removed and stored childrens’ organs without parental consent. Chris Wright, Paediatric Pathology Specialty Advisory Committee Chair, Royal College of Pathologists said pressure increased after recommendations that child specialists should deal with unexpected infant deaths in the wake of the Sally Clark case, who was eventually cleared of murdering two of her children.

Dr Wright said there are only about 40 paediatric pathologists, an insufficient number to cope with the demands.

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