Chamber and committees

NHS Grampian has provided COPFS with a commitment to implement a forensic pathology service in Aberdeen, including the recruitment of full-time forensic pathologists, and COPFS is supporting that process.

It is however a matter for NHS Grampian to recruit forensic pathologists to provide the services.

There are currently no forensic pathologists based in Aberdeen.

There is no backlog of post mortem examinations in Aberdeen and the majority of routine examinations are completed within agreed targets.

COPFS works closely with the Aberdeen mortuary team and locum pathologists to ensure that any issues with service delivery are highlighted and resolved as quickly as possible with the minimum of impact to bereaved families.

The certification of a person’s death is a matter that falls solely within the clinical responsibility of medical practitioners, who require to be satisfied to the best of their knowledge and belief as to the cause of death.

Following a post mortem examination, the pathologist will ordinarily certify the cause of death. In some cases, an ‘interim’ death certificate is issued by the pathologist indicating that the cause of death is unascertained until the results of further analysis - including but not limited to histopathology, toxicology and neuropathology - are obtained. This certificate allows the death to be registered and the body to be released to the family to allow funeral arrangements to be made. Once all analysis has concluded and the final cause of death is confirmed, the interim death certificate is then amended. However, in a small percentage of cases the pathologist is unable to determine a cause of death even after all such analysis is done.

We have identified 12 cases in 2023-24 where, following post mortem examination, the pathologist was unable to determine a cause of death and the cause was certified as ‘Unascertained’.

Where a pathologist is unable to determine a cause of death, they will include in their report as much information as possible about their findings to assist nearest relatives with possible explanations for the death having occurred. COPFS will provide that information to relatives when advising them of the final cause of death.

The following table shows the numbers of forensic post mortems conducted by two doctors that would normally have been performed in Aberdeen and that were transferred to Edinburgh. Some post mortems were also transferred to Dundee and Glasgow.

Only suspicious forensic post mortem examinations are being transferred from Aberdeen. Prior to October 2022, these were performed by forensic pathologists based in Aberdeen.

The average time for a post mortem examination to take place in Aberdeen is seven days (or five working days) after the post mortem is instructed. Most post mortems are instructed on the same day that the death is reported to COPFS.

In October 2022, both Forensic Pathologists working in Aberdeen transferred to other positions in Scotland where they continue to conduct Crown-instructed examinations. COPFS took over management of the pathology services in Aberdeen as Aberdeen University were unable to secure replacement pathologists.

From that date, COPFS has relied on the Forensic postmortem services in other areas of Scotland to provide Forensic specialist cover for Aberdeen, Grampian and the Highlands and Islands.

COPFS is not responsible for recruiting Crown-instructed pathologists.

However, COPFS has investigated alternative options for a forensic pathology service in Aberdeen. In the meantime, continuing with the outsourcing agreement and the use of locum NHS pathologists for non-suspicious post mortem examinations maintains service delivery whilst NHS Grampian progress the establishment of a forensic post mortem service in Aberdeen.

The Family Liaison Charter sets out the Crown’s obligations in relation to liaising with and providing information to bereaved relatives.

COPFS has established a Death Investigation Improvement Board with a number of workstreams, one of which is focussed on further expanding and improving the level of information provided to bereaved relatives in the early stages of investigations.

Locum pathologists are engaged on a fixed fee basis per post mortem examination, regardless of where the pathologist requires to travel from. There is therefore no additional cost to the Crown if a locum pathologist requires to fly from elsewhere in the United Kingdom to Aberdeen or requires accommodation.

There are currently no forensic pathologists based in Aberdeen.