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Body left at second city hospital | Body left at second city hospital |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A second case of a body being left on a ward in a Glasgow hospital has been uncovered by BBC Scotland. | A second case of a body being left on a ward in a Glasgow hospital has been uncovered by BBC Scotland. |
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed a body was left on a ward at Glasgow's Royal Infirmary for between seven and eight hours, last week. | NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed a body was left on a ward at Glasgow's Royal Infirmary for between seven and eight hours, last week. |
It said this was partly in response to the family's wishes to wait until a priest could attend. | It said this was partly in response to the family's wishes to wait until a priest could attend. |
It recently emerged a body had been left on a ward in Stobhill Hospital for about seven hours. | It recently emerged a body had been left on a ward in Stobhill Hospital for about seven hours. |
The latest case came to light after a member of the public contacted BBC Scotland. | |
They said their relative was on a four-bed ward and that a body had been left from lunchtime until about 2100 BST. | They said their relative was on a four-bed ward and that a body had been left from lunchtime until about 2100 BST. |
The person who contacted the BBC said their relative was very upset about the incident and was unimpressed with how the hospital had handled it. | The person who contacted the BBC said their relative was very upset about the incident and was unimpressed with how the hospital had handled it. |
A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde insisted staff acted in the best interests of a grieving family. | A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde insisted staff acted in the best interests of a grieving family. |
The health board said the patient died "suddenly and unexpectedly" last Tuesday. | The health board said the patient died "suddenly and unexpectedly" last Tuesday. |
"It was the wishes of the grieving family that the body remain on the ward so that family members could gather to pay their last respects and also await a blessing by a priest," said the spokesman. | "It was the wishes of the grieving family that the body remain on the ward so that family members could gather to pay their last respects and also await a blessing by a priest," said the spokesman. |
"Mindful of the need to balance the request made by the family with the needs of other patients, staff arranged for the patient's body to be screened from view." | "Mindful of the need to balance the request made by the family with the needs of other patients, staff arranged for the patient's body to be screened from view." |
Dr Jean Turner, chief executive of the Patients' Association, said she believed the cases were evidence of "not having enough beds in the system".Dr Jean Turner said: "There are not enough beds" | |
She added: "It is not only the dead body that has to lie there for a long time, but you might have a disruptive patient within a four-bedded ward whereby they can't shift that person as they would normally. | |
"There are not enough beds and not enough rooms to isolate people. | |
"When you are very ill, you know you are near to your own mortality sometimes and when somebody dies in the bed next to you it is quite a blow because you think you might be next, you can contemplate your own mortality." | |
In the second case which came to light, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the priest was unable to attend until about four hours after being notified of the death. | |
The health board spokesman added that, because visiting time had begun by the time the family left the deceased, it would have been "inappropriate and distressing" to have moved the body. | The health board spokesman added that, because visiting time had begun by the time the family left the deceased, it would have been "inappropriate and distressing" to have moved the body. |
'Face uncovered' | |
"As soon as visiting time was over, staff made arrangements for a respectful transfer of the body to the mortuary," said the spokesman. | "As soon as visiting time was over, staff made arrangements for a respectful transfer of the body to the mortuary," said the spokesman. |
"We believe that, on this occasion, our staff acted in the best interests of a grieving family." | "We believe that, on this occasion, our staff acted in the best interests of a grieving family." |
The case came after BBC Scotland revealed a body had been left at Stobhill Hospital in June. | The case came after BBC Scotland revealed a body had been left at Stobhill Hospital in June. |
Christine Martin, from Glasgow, described how the man in the bed next to her husband, David, died at about 1100 BST, but his body was not removed until after 1800 BST. | Christine Martin, from Glasgow, described how the man in the bed next to her husband, David, died at about 1100 BST, but his body was not removed until after 1800 BST. |
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had agreed to leave the body until a relative arrived, but there was a further delay in the removal afterwards. | NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had agreed to leave the body until a relative arrived, but there was a further delay in the removal afterwards. |
The dead man's son said hospital staff had acted with "utter compassion" to his request to see the body on the ward before it was taken to the mortuary. | The dead man's son said hospital staff had acted with "utter compassion" to his request to see the body on the ward before it was taken to the mortuary. |