Propped fire exit let public view mortuary body at Worthing Hospital, HTA finds

Human Tissue Authority inspectors conducting a July review at Worthing Hospital in West Sussex observed a dead body being prepared in the mortuary from a public footpath, after staff kept a fire-exit door ajar to cool the area during a heatwave. The open door created an unobstructed view from the rear footpath, which, although not heavily trafficked, allowed the inspectors to see the body. The inspection also revealed that CCTV covering the exit was not working and that the Trust had ten major and six minor breaches of HTA regulations across Worthing, St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester and Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

The findings follow heightened scrutiny after the David Fuller mortuary abuse scandal, which prompted requirements for swipe-card access and functional cameras. University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said most issues have been addressed and that the licence remains in force. The regulator has not suspended the Trust, but the incident highlights ongoing concerns about mortuary security and privacy.