A UK hospital trust has apologized after a grieving mother, Natalie Needham, received a mortuary disc containing post-mortem images of her infant son and a bill detailing the costs associated with his death. Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) Trust acknowledged shortcomings in its quality assurance processes following the incident.
Kouper, Natalie's son, died in July 2019 from respiratory complications at 24 hours old, just 14 hours after being discharged from Nottingham City Hospital. The traumatic experience for the family was compounded in February 2020 when a letter arrived addressed to 'Doctor' but containing a detailed, itemized list of Kouper's death, including costs for incubation tubes, ambulance services, and a nurse's fee for informing the mother of his passing.
The disc accompanying the letter contained post-mortem images of Kouper on a mortuary slab, images Natalie described as something she "never, ever imagined having to see." She stated it was the last glimpse she had of her son.
Upon discovering the contents of the letter, Natalie contacted the hospital. Hospital representatives subsequently arrived at her door requesting the paperwork back, which she refused. The trust then sent a letter stating they would pursue court proceedings if she withheld the information, which she continued to do.
In 2022, Natalie raised the issue with NUH's chief executive, Anthony May. An investigation by the Ockenden review team, which examined maternity failings at the trust, concluded that the documents were sent in response to Natalie's subject access request (SAR), a right under data protection laws allowing individuals to request personal information held by organizations.
However, a letter to the Needham family acknowledged that "the disclosure of these items was completely unacceptable in every way." It further stated that "the sending of such graphic images and financial information to a grieving family who have already been through a very traumatic experience is incomprehensible."
Natalie expressed doubt that the letter was a standard SAR response, suspecting it was sent intentionally. Tracy Pilcher, NUH chief nurse, issued an apology to Natalie Needham and her family for the mistakes made in handling her SAR. She stated that a thorough investigation identified areas where quality assurance processes fell short and that actions have been taken to strengthen these procedures and prevent similar incidents.
Donna Ockenden, whose review has highlighted numerous issues, has previously noted "recurring examples of failure to protect the dignity of the deceased" within the trust.