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The Mortuary Service at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital is responsible for the care of the deceased who die in hospital, or are brought to hospital after death, and to their families and friends.

Mortuary staff have an important role, providing an efficient service whilst responding sensitively to the needs of the bereaved.

Mortuary Service

The Mortuary Service at the Royal deals with deaths from wards at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and also covers the Mortuary at Broadgreen Hospital.

We also accommodates deaths from other hospital trusts for example; Liverpool Womens Hospital, Broadoak Unit (situated at Broadgreen Hospital) and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.

On average the hospital mortuary deals with a total of 1600 to 1800 deaths excluding deaths from the Broadgreen/Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital site, with an added total of between 200 and 250 deaths annually. This numbers includes Coroner's and Hospital post mortems, high risk post mortems, but excludes Forensic post mortem numbers

Additionally the mortuary receives deceased from external sources due to post mortems ordered by the Coroners and/or Forensic investigations. Different Coroner's jurisdictions include: Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Cumbria, Southport, Blackpool, Sefton/Knowsley, Whiston and Wirral.

An Anatomical Pathology Technician's (APT) role is to provide assistance to a pathologist in conducting post mortems. This is a vital area of work as understanding the causes of death enables promotion of good health in others and in many cases, when death is unexpected, the cause of death can have legal implications.

Mortuary staff liaise with a range of people including other medical staff, e.g. pathologists, doctors, police and of course, the relatives of those who have died. Ensuring that people in grief are dealt with sympathetically and given respect for their cultural and religious attitudes. Other responsibilities of an APT may include:

  • Record keeping
  • Maintaining the mortuary and post mortem room
  • Ensuring equipment and instruments are kept clean, sterile and ready for use
  • Taking samples for clinical examination
  • Keeping track of property
  • Ensuring legal documentation is dealt with correctly.

Once qualified, many APTs can undertake further study leading to a diploma awarded by the Royal Society of Public Health, and many continue their careers into advanced technical work or management.

APTs carry out a range of tasks related to mortuary service work. Mortuary Technicians and staff are responsible for the respectful reception and storage of the deceased. They prepare the deceased for viewing by relatives and assist the Pathologists at the post mortem procedure.

Easy Read Information

The Mortuary is where we look after the bodies of people who have died.

this page gives you more information about the Mortuary Service and how to contact us.

About Us

The Mortuary Service at the Royal deals with deaths from wards at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and also covers the Mortuary at Broadgreen Hospital.

We also accommodates deaths from other hospital trusts for example; Liverpool Womens Hospital, Broadoak Unit (situated at Broadgreen Hospital) and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.

On average the hospital mortuary deals with a total of 1600 to 1800 deaths excluding deaths from the Broadgreen/Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital site, with an added total of between 200 and 250 deaths annually. This numbers includes Coroner's and Hospital post mortems, high risk post mortems, but excludes Forensic post mortem numbers

Additionally the mortuary receives deceased from external sources due to post mortems ordered by the Coroners and/or Forensic investigations. Different Coroner's jurisdictions include: Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Cumbria, Southport, Blackpool, Sefton/Knowsley, Whiston and Wirral.

An Anatomical Pathology Technician's (APT) role is to provide assistance to a pathologist in conducting post mortems. This is a vital area of work as understanding the causes of death enables promotion of good health in others and in many cases, when death is unexpected, the cause of death can have legal implications.

Mortuary staff liaise with a range of people including other medical staff, e.g. pathologists, doctors, police and of course, the relatives of those who have died. Ensuring that people in grief are dealt with sympathetically and given respect for their cultural and religious attitudes. Other responsibilities of an APT may include:

  • Record keeping
  • Maintaining the mortuary and post mortem room
  • Ensuring equipment and instruments are kept clean, sterile and ready for use
  • Taking samples for clinical examination
  • Keeping track of property
  • Ensuring legal documentation is dealt with correctly.

Once qualified, many APTs can undertake further study leading to a diploma awarded by the Royal Society of Public Health, and many continue their careers into advanced technical work or management.

APTs carry out a range of tasks related to mortuary service work. Mortuary Technicians and staff are responsible for the respectful reception and storage of the deceased. They prepare the deceased for viewing by relatives and assist the Pathologists at the post mortem procedure.

Contact Us

For further information, please contact:

Mortuary at the Royal Liverpool on 0151 706 3800

The Team

The Bereavement Services Team consists of a small group of staff who have chosen to dedicate their careers to the provision of high quality care for the deceased and the bereaved.

In 2009 the Bereavement Services Team received the Trust's, Team of the Year Quality Award for the continuous provision of a high quality service.

We are here to help you in whatever way we can, so please feel free to get in touch with us.

  • Jane Perry – Lead/Senior Anatomical Pathology Technologist
  • Barry Wong - Anatomical Pathology Technologist
  • Gary Hunter - Anatomical Pathology Technologist
  • Lynsey Crichton - Anatomical Pathology Technologist
  • Tobias Orbine - Anatomical Pathology Technologist

Bereavement

  • David Lindale – Bereavement Officer
  • Linda Milward – Dispatch/Bereavement Officer