Professional

A key principle of the Human Tissue Act (HT Act) is that all human bodies, body parts and tissue should be treated with appropriate respect and dignity. It is important that checks and procedures are put into place to ensure that appropriate consent is obtained for the public display of human material.

Accredited Assessors submit their reports using the HTA’s online submission system. This is a secure system which is data protected.

Transplant units and Stem Cell coordinators must use the updated template referral letter when referring a case to the HTA. 

There are several situations where independent pathologists attend HTA-licensed establishments to carry out post-mortem (PM) examinations. Visiting pathologists sometimes take or send PM tissue away from the originating establishment for laboratory processing and or analyses. When the laboratory analyses are complete, independent pathologists sometimes store PM tissue on their own premises whilst they await the receipt of disposal instructions from the coroner or police.

Samples may be obtained from deceased infants and children in cases of sudden unexpected death in infancy and childhood (SUDIC), in line with national protocols. This practice may take place in Accident and Emergency departments and other areas of a hospital, for example in special care baby units and paediatric wards.

This policy describes the consent and licensing requirements under the Human Tissue Act (HT Act) for removal of relevant material from the deceased, in these cases.