Child Postmortem Delays Exceed One Year

The NHS is facing a crisis due to a severe shortage of specialist paediatric and perinatal pathologists, leading to critically long delays for postmortem examinations of children. Bereaved parents are enduring harrowing waits, with some exceeding a year, to understand why their child died. This shortage has caused services in certain UK regions to collapse entirely, necessitating the transfer of bodies to distant hospitals for examination.

The Royal College of Pathologists' report highlights the dire state of services, revealing that one in five families wait six months or more for results. The lack of consultants means that crucial information, which can aid in subsequent pregnancies and provide closure, is significantly delayed. This situation is particularly acute in areas like Wales, Northern Ireland, and parts of England, which have no or very few specialists.

While the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledges the unacceptability of these delays, the issue persists. The government states it is increasing doctor numbers and training posts, but charities emphasize the urgent need for action to bridge the agonizing gap between a child's death and parents receiving answers.