Lee Gibbs

@PoppyMardall @LucyGoBag There are huge and wide ranging issues affecting longer than expected stays, it's certainly not that mortuaries just obstructively keep people for long periods. This sensational headline needs full context to fully understand the complexities around it and those that effect it.

@theaptone @LucyGoBag 😭😭😭

‘Decomposing bodies’ discovered at multiple hospitals | News | Health Service Journal hsj.co.uk/quality-and-pe…

@PoppyMardall @LucyGoBag It's fine, we make it work but its indicative of the wider issues. Hospitals that have 8 beds in a 6 bed bay, a broken NHS. Cost of living increases forcing NOK to use cheaper, potentially unscrupulous direct to crem services who are known for leaving patients for longer periods

@PoppyMardall @LucyGoBag Well if it gives to an idea of what mortuaries are up against, the planners for my state of the art PFI hospital (for it's time) failed to include any kind of mortuary services in the original plan. We're retrofitted into an area originally destined for procurement! Mindboggling!

@LucyGoBag We had this circulated by our management team yesterday. The document itself is completely out of context for all but a couple of examples and Imogen has captured the issues already. The bigger question is 'why?'. Why do they think patients are spending longer in mortuaries?

@Imogensjones I'll make you a 'get back' whip. Sorry you've experienced that. Hope you're ok

Today in being a woman: my partner doesn't understand why I won't cycle commute on the canal alone in the dark. This morning, in bright sun, I was separately spat and kicked at by men on a towpath. Tell me I shouldn't be scared then...

@AAPTTweets I still don't fully understand how the lack of pathologists is considered surprising when it was rcpath who decided that training in autopsy was no longer considered mandatory? And long before the time of CT autopsy or pathologist assistants were ever a thing? Don't see the logic

@PoppyMardall @alianderson65 @LucyGoBag @poppysfunerals Obviously can't speak for all mortuaries but the majority at least ceased this practice themselves many moons ago. The problem with regulation is it tends to be blanket format. DIY funerals are so few and far between, my fear is they'll become lost in the mire of policy & process

@theaptone @alianderson65 @LucyGoBag @poppysfunerals Well I launched @poppysfunerals 12 yrs ago and 'grats' were going strong then. Agree on not breaching a grieving person's chance to do what's right for them. But we can regulate funeral directors, not grieving people.

Enough is enough. This is an industry so overdue for tighter regulation (and one way of telling that is just how shocked everyone is that there isn’t regulation)

@alianderson65 @PoppyMardall @LucyGoBag @poppysfunerals The 'grats' stopped for mortuaries over 15 years ago. The scrutiny, governance and regulation for mortuaries and mortuary workers is now very robust. I'm all for regulation of the FDs but anything put in place must not affect families that wish to do their own DIY arrangements

@PoppyMardall @LucyGoBag @poppysfunerals It was a historical "tip" mortuaries received from FDs as a thank you for giving them the measurements of the deceased. Thanfully the mortuaries in NHS Greater Glasgow stopped this many, many years ago.......does it still happen 😱. Regulation for mortuary staff also required.

@ktrbie @EvieKingWrites I'm all for regulation after spending many years in the mortuary industry and seeing first hand how bad things can be, but regulation must be done in a way that doesn't impede families from making their own DIY funeral plans without using a funeral director.

Wow

@NAFD_SCOTLAND Just a thought out loud, does this prevent families from performing their own funeral arrangements themselves without using a compliant funeral director?

The Scottish Government has confirmed today that the Funeral Director Code of Practice will come into force on March 1st 2025, by which time all Funeral Director firms must, said Public Health Minister Jenni Minto, be “fully compliant”.

x.com/ABridgen/statu… This is important stuff and asks the right questions. Why is this not being talked about? Was headline news all throughout the pandemic why suddenly so quiet? Thoughts?

This is from a nurse on the front line. She is very brave, so many NHS staff have told me privately. We must protect her at all costs.

Check out the blog post by the very lovely and knowledgeable @Imogensjones on ethics of care in death. @AAPTTweets could you encourage a conversation beween the apt members? Our services are driven by law often rather than care. Let's all chat about it? deadbodiesandthelaw.wordpress.com/2024/01/25/eth…

Had a wonderful time chatting with @JoeMarler and @tomfordyce about the strange and challenging world of mortuaries. If you've ever wondered what the strangest thing I've found inside a person might be hop on over to the @JoeMarlerShow to listen now.

What's it like to work in a mortuary?

Tis Joe Marler, Tom and I discussing all things mortuary. Have a listen.