Campaign To Stop Mortuary Closure

A campaign has been launched in a bid to stop the closure of the mortuary at Kettering General Hospital.

From this autumn anyone who passes away at the hospital will be transported to a new facility in Northampton, which will also serve Northampton General Hospital.

Those opposing the move say it will mean long journeys for grieving families at a distressing time.

Over 3,000 people have so-far signed a petition calling for Health Secretary Wes Streeting to step-in and a funeral director in Kettering has also criticised the decision.

Kettering General Hospital

The petition reads: “A vital service in our community is being quietly taken away.

“The mortuary at Kettering General Hospital is closing – from the autumn, anyone who passes away at the hospital will be transported to a new facility in Northampton. That’s up to 45 minutes away from families in North Northamptonshire.

“There was no public consultation, no clear communication, and there are a lot of questions without answers.

“For grieving families, knowing their loved one is close brings huge comfort. Taking that away isn’t just a logistical issue, it’s an emotional one. And it doesn’t make sense environmentally.”

KGH has been unable to offer family-viewing mortuary facilities for five years.

A joint statement from the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire Council says: “The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire is working with West Northamptonshire Council to deliver better mortuary facilities for bereaved families in Northamptonshire.

“West Northamptonshire Council is opening a state-of-the-art £9.4m County Mortuary at Riverside Business Park near Northampton. Construction work on this project is already underway and when it opens all coronial work and community deaths will be moved into that facility.

“The County Mortuary will have excellent private viewing and identification facilities, provide enhanced facilities and an appropriate, respectful, and compassionate experience for bereaved families.”

“We understand families want to have access to say goodbye to a loved one as part of the grieving process sometimes as soon after death as possible.

“Often hospital staff at both KGH and NGH support this in a ward area and we will continue to do this at both of our hospitals.

“But once the deceased family member has moved to a hospital mortuary – because of the lack of viewing facilities – it has meant families have had to wait until the deceased has been released to their funeral directors.

“We understand some residents may have concerns about the distance to Riverside in Northampton.

“While this is on established bus routes and easily accessible by car, we will be considering how to support families who feel unable to visit the new facility and do not feel they can wait until a loved one is in the care of their funeral director.”