Dead bodies were left to decompose in the corridors of a hospital in Waterford, it has been alleged.
Corpses were lying on trolleys at University Hospital Waterford due to inadequate storage and refrigeration facilities, a group of consultants at the hospital have claimed.
The allegations came in a letter sent to Gerry O’Dwyer, chief executive of the South – South West Hospital Group, which was signed by consultant pathologists Prof Rob Landers, Dr Fergus MacSweeney, Dr Nigam Shah and Dr Christine Shilling.
In the letter, which was first seen by the Waterford News and Star, the consultants said the decomposition led to closed-coffin funerals, and described the trauma placed on bereaved families as "almost unspeakable".
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It read: "Due to inadequate body storage and refrigeration facilities, most bodies lie on trolleys in corridors, often leaking body fluids on to the floor.
"Bodies decompose in the corridors, leading to closed-coffin funerals with relatives unable to view the remains as a result of gaseous decomposition.
"The trauma imposed on the bereaved is almost unspeakable.
"The cramped facilities expose the public to the noise and odours of a working postmortem room when visiting the public areas of the mortuary for identification/viewing purposes and funerals."
In a statement the HSE told the Irish Mirror: “University Hospital Waterford has recently received approval for a new replacement Mortuary Building.
"It is expected that the request for tender will be issued shortly with the expectation that construction will commence before the end of this year.
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"University Hospital Waterford is currently examining interim arrangements to address the issues raised.”
Labour's health spokesperson Alan Kelly said that action must be taken to help ensure "compassion and respect" is shown to bereaved families.
He told the Irish Examiner: “The Minister and the HSE need to show compassion and respect to the families who have been affected by these awful circumstances and assure them that conditions will improve at the UHW mortuary.
“The scale of the trolley crisis is already demoralising enough for the living, this type of practice must not be the norm for the dead too."
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