Livingston by-election 2005

saltire shield'ID cards won't catch criminals, more police will.'
Cllr Angela Constance, 25 th September 2005.		Lion Rampant

SNP fears for St John's mortuary closure

From the SNP 27 th September 2005

SNP candidate in the Livingston by-election, Angela Constance, has called for urgent clarification following reports that St John's Hospital staff are expecting to be told in the next few weeks that the mortuary at the hospital is to close in its present capacity.

Local MSP Fiona Hyslop has also received information that mortuary attendants have been informed by their union that an official announcement is due over the next couple of weeks. She will be raising her concerns with NHS Lothian.

Closure of the mortuary would have a number of knock on effects including:

  • implications for the organ and tissue donor services for the hospital

  • increased funeral costs and distress for West Lothian families

  • additional pressures on the police (in the last 19 weeks, 70 bodies have been brought by the local police to the mortuary ¡© closure would require officers to travel to Edinburgh).

    Commenting Ms Constance said:

    Despite previous assurances it now seems that the mortuary at St John's is once again facing closure. I have had reports from the hospital that staff have already been informed that an official announcement is due in the next couple of weeks.

    If these reports are true and the mortuary is closed, there will be outrage and anger across Livingston and West Lothian. This is yet another signal of the creep, creep of centralisation, with St John's and the people of West Lothian the losers.

    I am particularly concerned about the impact on the mortuary attendants who are now facing huge uncertainty as they wait for an official announcement. Closure will mean higher funeral costs and greater inconvenience for local families and it will put extra pressure onto the local police.

    In recent weeks 70 bodies have been brought into the mortuary by the police. It is normal practice for 2 officers to accompany each body, and they may now have to travel to Edinburgh to access mortuary services. This will divert police resources from the frontline of fighting crime.

    Closure will also have an impact on tissue and organ donor services in the hospital and we need urgent clarification from Lothian NHS on this point. I am sure those involved in the donor services will be dismayed at the prospect of closure.

    What is most galling is that we were assured the mortuary was not under threat. NHS Lothian will face massive opposition if they are considering closure. The people of Livingston and West Lothian will rally round St John's and fight to protect the mortuary service.

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