Post Mortem Services

The request was successful.

Dear Northumberland County Council,

1. How are your post mortems contracted i.e. to an NHS Trust or private organisation
2. Do you currently undertake invasive post mortems, CT post mortems or a combination of both?
3. Do you contract Pathologists directly to undertake post mortems?
4. What price do you pay per post mortem? Is this inclusive or exclusive of storage?
5. How many Post Mortems are completed/do you pay for each year?

Yours faithfully,

Jane

FOI Mailbox,

Dear Jane,
We acknowledge receipt of your email below.  However, as we require both a
first name and a surname to enable us to log and process requests, could
you please forward your surname.
kind regards
Julia

Information Governance Office

(t)  0345 600 6400

(e) [email address]

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From: Jane <[FOI #633126 email]>
Sent: 10 January 2020 15:01
To: FOI Mailbox <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Post Mortem Services
 
Dear Northumberland County Council,

1.      How are your post mortems contracted i.e. to an NHS Trust or
private organisation
2.      Do you currently undertake invasive post mortems, CT post mortems
or a combination of both?
3.      Do you contract Pathologists directly to undertake post mortems?
4.      What price do you pay per post mortem? Is this inclusive or
exclusive of storage?
5.      How many Post Mortems are completed/do you pay for each year?

Yours faithfully,

Jane

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Dear FOI Mailbox,
Thank you for your message.
My full name is Jane Culley.
I would be grateful if you could now log and process my request.

Yours sincerely,

Jane

Northumberland County Council

1 Attachment

Our Ref: 7218  

Dear Enquirer,

INFORMATION REQUEST

Thank you for your request for information which will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental
Information Regulations 2004.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know the likely charges before proceeding.

If you have any queries about this matter please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Kind regards

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk

Northumberland County Council

1 Attachment

Our Ref: 7218   

Dear Enquirer,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 

I refer to your Freedom of Information request in relation to post
mortems. 

Right of Access 

Section 1(1) of the Act provides any person making a request for
information to a public authority is entitled. 

(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request (which Section
1(6) of the Act designates as the "duty to confirm or deny"), and 

(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him. 

The right is to obtain access to the information itself and not to the
document or record which contains it. 

The Act creates a general right of access to information held by public
authorities subject to various exemptions. 

Northumberland County Council confirms that it holds the information you
have requested, please see the below response. 
Q.1 How are your post mortems contracted i.e. to an NHS Trust or private
organisation
Post mortems for the Coroner Service in Northumberland are contracted with
the local NHS trust in the form of a SLA.  The SLA covers the provision of
public mortuary facilities and in turn, mortuary and post mortem
facilities to the Coroner.  
Q.2 Do you currently undertake invasive post mortems, CT post mortems or a
combination of both?
Invasive post mortems are currently undertaken.
Q.3 Do you contract Pathologists directly to undertake post mortems?
Pathologists are commissioned by the Senior Coroner directly when a post
mortem is required.
Q.4 What price do you pay per post mortem? Is this inclusive or exclusive
of storage?
Coroner post mortems are £150 each, and this is exclusive of storage
costs.
Q.5 How many Post Mortems are completed/do you pay for each year?
During the calendar year 2018, 464 Coroner post mortems took place.
Complaints 

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request an internal review by writing within 2 months
from the date of this response to the Information Governance Office: 

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF 

Email: [Northumberland County Council request email] 

Information Commissioner 

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a
right by Section 50 of the Act to apply to the Information Commissioner
for a decision as to whether your request has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act at: 

The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF 

Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: [email address

There is no charge for making an appeal. 

Yours faithfully 

FOI Coordinator 
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email] 
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk