Agenda item

ES 17062

The update on the gate Review for the Mortuary Service was given by Mr Jim McGowan (Head of Environmental Protection).

The report was presented to the Committee because the joint contract with Bexley for the provision of the Public Mortuary Service was ending in October 2018 and it was necessary to recommission the service.

Mr McGowan outlined the three possible options that were available to the Council:

1- Do nothing and decommission the service

2- Tender the existing service for a 3+3 contract to a restricted list of mortuaries, as agreed with HM Coroner South London

3- Partner with three other boroughs within the South London Coroner’s district.

The Committee was briefed that it was necessary for LBB to go to the market and tender for the same or another provider. The location of the mortuary should either be within the borough, or in an adjacent borough. Mr McGowan stated that option 2 (above) was the preferred option, and he was seeking permission to go to market to get a quote.

A future option may be to build a new mortuary together with other boroughs, but that would take several years. If that concept was to be progressed, it would have to be undertaken in collaboration with other boroughs, and the first stage would be to undertake a feasibility study. The results of the feasibility study would then be brought back to Members for consideration.

The Chairman enquired what would happen if several boroughs agreed to collaborate and then one dropped out. Mr McGowan responded that if that happened then a fresh costing would need to be done. The Committee was informed that Croydon had lost its status as the dedicated disaster mortuary.

A Member drew attention to section 4.2 of the report:

‘The incumbent (Princess Royal University Hospital(PRUH))  ran out of space completely last winter and, after using up all of their overspill spaces, they set up a Board level "gold" group to authorise the use of distant mortuaries, for which they were obliged to cover the additional costs as part of the contract stipulations. They are currently reviewing their contracts and have stated that they may not be in a position to bid for Bromley and Bexley next year, without investment from their trust to increase the capacity on the PRUH site. Other mortuaries in the vicinity were also in the same position last year and this may further restrict the numbers of interested providers’

There was some concern that the PRUH had ran out of space last year, and without further investment may not be in a position to bid for the Bromley mortuary contract. The Member asked why LBB could not extend the contract rather than going back out to tender. Mr Mcgowan responded that such an approach would not be looked upon favourably by procurement officers, and would not be compliant with financial regulations.

The Member continued by stating that if there was not much interest from the Provider with respect to a new contract, then why persist in doing so. The Executive Director for Environmental and Community Services stated that LBB was expected to go out and have a look.

A Member asked if LBB would be allocated a fixed amount of mortuary spaces for cadavers. Mr McGowan responded that any mortuary that LBB used would have to comply with laws relating to human tissue requirements, and by fully complaint with all statutory requirements. It would not be feasible to use private funeral directors as they would be too expensive.

The Committee was of the view that the recommendations of the report should be accepted.

RESOLVED that

(1)  The Portfolio Holder agree to procure a new contract to provide a public mortuary service for the London Borough of Bromley for a period of 3+3 years.

(2)  The Portfolio Holder agree to a limited tender list of suitable mortuaries,  acceptable to the HM South London Coroner, having regard to the limitations of HM South London Coronial District.

,