Gareth Davies MS has issued an urgent call in the Senedd for the Welsh Government to take immediate action to address significant delays in the release of deceased individuals from hospital mortuaries in North Wales.
During Tuesday’s session of First Minister’s Questions, Member of the Senedd for the Vale of Clwyd, Gareth Davies, raised concerns about the distress families are facing due to extended waiting times and delays that are preventing timely funerals and causing immense emotional strain across communities.
Data obtained through freedom of information requests for the period between July and December 2024, revealed that, at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, the average time bodies remain in the mortuary exceeds 11 days, with similarly troubling figures reported at Ysbyty Gwynedd. The Chief Medical Examiner for Wales commented in the BBC that these waiting times are far above the previous average of three to four days. Some families are reportedly waiting up to 20 days.
Recent national media coverage, including from the BBC, has also highlighted growing public concern over the rising mortuary backlogs and the emotional toll on bereaved families across Wales, with reports of bodies decomposing in hospital mortuaries due to the length of time for the release to be approved.
Gareth told the Senedd chamber that the delays are being linked to procedural changes introduced by the Welsh Government concerning the issuing of death certificates, a point highlighted by the lead medical examiner for Wales.
He pressed the First Minister for clarity on what is being done at both the ministerial and health board levels to resolve the backlog and ensure that families are able to lay their loved ones to rest with the dignity they deserve after death.
Commenting following the exchange, Gareth Davies MS said:
“I’ve been deeply moved by the heartbreaking experiences shared by families in our community.
“The delays are not just statistics, they are disrupting the grieving process and denying people the right to say goodbye properly and lay their loved ones to rest with dignity.
“The Welsh Government must urgently review the guidance and its impact and ensure health boards have the resources they need to restore timely, compassionate care.”