The Mortuary Service provides care and management for deceased patients across University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB).
The service supports clinical teams, coroners, pathologists and funeral directors while ensuring that deceased patients are cared for with dignity and respect.
We work closely with wards, bereavement teams and medical examiners to support families and coordinate the processes that take place following a death.
Viewing arrangements
If you would like to arrange a viewing, please contact the ward where the patient was cared for.
The ward team will liaise with the Mortuary Service and make the necessary arrangements.
Medical Certificates of Cause of Death and bereavement enquiries
For enquiries relating to:
- Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs)
- bereavement services
- out-of-hours releases
please contact the Bereavement Team or Medical Examiners Service, who will provide advice and support.
Information for healthcare professionals
Mortuary support
The Mortuary Service supports:
- care and storage of the deceased
- post-mortem examinations
- coroner referrals
- release of the deceased to funeral directors
- out-of-hours and urgent releases
- viewing arrangements coordinated through clinical teams
Out-of-hours service
An on-call service is available outside normal working hours to support urgent operational requirements.
On-call cover operates:
- weekdays: 16:00–08:00
- weekends: 24-hour cover from 08:00 Saturday until 08:00 Monday
Healthcare professionals requiring urgent mortuary support should contact the appropriate site team.
Opening hours
Mortuary service
- Monday to Friday, 08:00 –16:00
On-call service
- Weekdays, 16:00 – 08:00
- Weekends, 24-hour cover
Contact us
Good Hope Hospital
For standard-hours and on-call enquiries.
Heartlands Hospital and Solihull Hospital
For post-mortem and general enquiries.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
For post-mortem and general enquiries.
Quality assurance and accreditation
The Cellular Pathology laboratories at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital are part of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB). The laboratories are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to the ISO 15189:2022 standard.
Accreditation information is available under Cellular Pathology (UKAS Reference 10141).
Tests that do not appear on the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation are not UKAS accredited. These tests are validated in line with laboratory procedures and are carried out by trained and competent staff.
For a list of accredited tests and further information, visit the UKAS website:
Human Tissue Authority approval
The Cellular Pathology laboratory is approved and registered by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA).
Data protection
Cellular Pathology services comply with the Trust's Data Protection Policy. Procedures are in place to ensure the service and its staff meet data protection requirements and follow recognised best practice.
Contact us
For further information about quality assurance and accreditation, contact:
Louise Fallon
Quality Manager
Email: louise.fallon@uhb.nhs.uk
Training and Development
For information on careers, training and education in Pathology, please see our Training and Development webpage.
Last reviewed: 10 July 2026