HTA Sector Forum: Unannounced Inspections and Winter Pressures
On 9 October, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) held a forum for sector representatives, bringing together professionals from across the post-mortem sector. The meeting provided an opportunity for open discussion on key issues facing the industry, with a focus on unannounced inspections and preparations for winter pressures.
Unannounced Inspections
Reporting an incident to HTA
HTA licensed establishments in the Post-mortem, Human Application and Organ Donation and Transplantation sector are required to report incidents to the HTA.
How to report them are different for each sector.
Update for Post Mortem Sector Licensees: Revised Incident Reporting Guidelines
HTA publishes revised guidance on reporting incidents in the post mortem sector.
HTA statement on the Fuller Independent Inquiry phase one report
HTA Winter Pressures Webinar
The webinar will be an opportunity for those who work in mortuaries where post-mortem examinations take place that are licensed and inspected by the HTA.
It will be an opportunity to talk through the challenges of winter pressures, contingency planning, flow vs storage of bodies, share best practice and learn about the support HTA can provide.
Ensuring dignity and respect of the deceased in post-mortem sector
Nicolette Harrison, Director of Regulations, writes about ensuring dignity and respect of the deceased in post-mortem sector.
Burials at sea
Every year around twenty people make the choice to be buried at sea off the Isle of Wight. Unfortunately in a small number of instances human remains have washed back to shore, resulting in an unusual challenge for the Human Tissue Authority and our partners.
Roundtable on the management of the deceased
Shaping the future together
I recently chaired a roundtable on the management of the deceased that took place on 19 July 2023. It brought together stakeholders from various organisations and government bodies. The purpose was to consider current practices, confront challenges, and identify areas for improvement.
Navigating the Human Tissue Authority Inspection: Insights from a Designated Individual in the South Wales Valleys
I am the Designated Individual for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board within the heart of the South Wales Valleys. During my appointment in 2020 I anticipated our next Human Tissue Authority (HTA) inspection would be during 2022/2023 and up to the point of inspection I spent much of my time working with clinical teams across our Mortuary services, and other relevant areas such as Midwifery, ensuring all standards were being met.
Stakeholder engagement
Throughout the year we host a programme of stakeholder engagement events.
Our sector-focused stakeholder forums have given us the opportunity to share updates and hear feedback on our regulation with leaders from each sector we regulate.
We've also started a programme of roundtables to discuss specific topics relevant to the sectors.
Membership of our stakeholder groups consists of leaders from each sector, and we're also looking at opportunities to hear from a wider group of professionals in the near future.