Mortuary capacity “has become limited in recent weeks” at two North Wales hospitals

The local health board has said “mortuary capacity at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Glan Clwyd Hospital has become limited in recent weeks.”

Concerns around the capacity at Wrexham hospital’s mortuary had been raised with Wrexham.com last weekend due to the tragic impact of the pandemic locally.

Dr Chris Stockport, Executive Director of Primary and Community Care at at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board responded to our query, telling us: “Mortuary capacity at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Glan Clwyd Hospital has become limited in recent weeks.”

“The temporary body storage facility remains on standby, and can be stood up at short notice if required. Working together with partner organisations, we’re carefully monitoring capacity to ensure that we can continue to provide a respectful and dignified holding point for people’s loved ones before funerals take place.”

Back in April industrial units on Mochdre Commerce Park were earmarked as a possible place for a “respectful and dignified holding point before funerals take place”, if hospitals and funeral directors become unable to cope with the number of Covid-19- related deaths. At the time those involved in the plan were keen to stress it was a contingency which they hoped would not be needed and would act as a central point for the whole of North Wales.

This week we asked if that facility was still active, and if so, would it be used to help any issues in the east area of the health board.

Colin Everett, Chief Executive Flintshire County Council and Iwan Davies, Chief Executive Conwy County Borough Council jointly said, “The temporary body storage facility is not currently in use, and the facility has been on stand-by throughout the pandemic.”

“The facility was set up during the first wave of coronavirus to ease pressure if needed on the region’s hospitals and funeral directors with the rise in coronavirus-related deaths.”

“North Wales Councils, in liaison with partners including the Coroner, North Wales Police, Health, Funeral Directors and Registrars, monitor the situation closely”.