Widow raises concerns over post-mortem backlog

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

A shift towards doctor’s appointments over the phone has been highlighted as contributing to an apparent backlog for post-mortem examinations.

The warning has come from a widow who was told there could be a wait of up to five weeks for an examination to establish a cause of death after her husband died suddenly.

Maureen Powell, who is a county councillor, said a post-mortem was required after husband, John, died on June 30 as the 86-year-old hadn’t had a face to face consultation with his GP in the past six months.

“He just went to sleep and died quickly and the paramedics and police, who attended, both said it was obvious his heart had stopped and their probably wouldn’t need to be post-mortem,” said Cllr Powell.

“The coroner rang me the following Tuesday and said as he hadn’t seen a doctor face to face and hadn’t got an ongoing illness there would have to be a post-mortem and the waiting list is about five weeks though with a little bit of luck he’d try and get an earlier date.”

Additional grief

The examination did take place sooner than the five week wait and Mr Powell’s funeral was held on July 24, but his widow said she fears families could be put through additional grief if they are waiting for a post-mortem.

“I’m fairly active and a councillor but for someone of my age who is a bit fragile and told they have to wait four or five weeks before they can bury their lost husband it could have a deteriorating effect on their health,” said the 87-year-old.

“This is what bothers me a lot of people could be waiting about for weeks and when someone dies they need to have the funeral so they have got that closure,” said the councillor who had been married for 42 years, with the couple having ran a chainsaw and forestry business in Llangua near Abergavenny before retirement.

“My step-son’s youngest son said the same thing, you can’t have that closure until you’ve had a funeral. To be hanging on can’t be doing anyone any good.”

Opening hours

The Conservative councillor for Abergavenny’s Pen y Fal ward first raised her concern during Monmouthshire council’s September meeting where councillors discussed an unexpected reduction in opening hours of a GP surgery in Magor.

Cllr Powell said it was a problem “a lot of doctors are now ringing people to discuss their problems on the phone” and outlined how the post-mortem was required as no doctor had seen in her husband, in person, during the past six months.

The councillor, who acknowledged some may find telephone consultations more convenient and allow GPs to contact more patients, said: “It’s important to see doctors face to face.”

Members of Gwent’s Aneurin Bevan University Health Board were also told at their September meeting young people are concerned about a reliance on telephone appointments.

Patient watchdog Llais has been holding consultations with people aged under 25 on health services and its regional director, Lisa Charles told the board: “Young people find having to use phone call appointments really heightens difficulties and it’s harder to build trust and would like face to face appointments.”