Dead Body Visible From Public Footpath Outside NHS Hospital

A dead body in the mortuary at an NHS hospital could be seen from a publicly accessible footpath after staff left a fire exit propped open during hot weather, inspectors have found.

The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) made the discovery during an inspection of Worthing Hospital in West Sussex on 7 and 8 July 2026, while the area was experiencing a period of hot weather.

Inspectors found that the mortuary office fire exit was "frequently opened" during hot conditions. When the door was left open, it created unrestricted access towards the body store and allowed a direct line of sight from a public footpath behind the hospital.

During the inspection, officials said they were able to observe a body being prepared for release while standing in the publicly accessible area.

The HTA report highlighted concerns about the privacy and security of the mortuary.

Although the footpath at the rear of Worthing Hospital was described as not being frequently used, inspectors said the positioning of the open fire exit meant members of the public could potentially see into the mortuary.

The report stated that the inspection team was able to observe a body being prepared for release from the public area.

The finding raises concerns about maintaining appropriate privacy and security around deceased patients and their families, particularly in areas where members of the public may have access.

Inspectors identified another security concern involving CCTV.

A camera covering the mortuary office fire exit was installed but was not operational when the HTA carried out its inspection.

The findings are particularly significant given previous concerns about security at hospital mortuaries following the case of David Fuller.

Fuller, a former hospital electrician, was convicted after abusing the bodies of numerous women and girls in mortuaries in Kent. The case led to wider scrutiny of security arrangements in NHS mortuary and body-storage areas.

Following the scandal, NHS trusts were instructed to strengthen security around mortuaries, including protecting access points with swipe-card systems and ensuring effective CCTV monitoring.

The inspection covered Worthing Hospital as well as satellite sites at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester and Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

All three facilities are operated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

HTA officials identified 10 major breaches and six minor breaches of its standards during the inspection.

The findings covered a range of issues, with the mortuary access and security arrangements among the concerns identified at Worthing.

The hospital has an A&E department and around 500 inpatient beds, making it an important healthcare facility for the area.

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said the inspection had identified areas where its standards needed to improve.

The spokesperson said most of the issues raised by inspectors had since been fully addressed.

The trust was approached for further comment on the specific circumstances surrounding the mortuary fire exit, CCTV and the visibility of the body from the public footpath.

The HTA findings underline the importance of maintaining secure and private mortuary facilities, particularly where deceased patients are being prepared for release to their families.

Daily Dazzling Dawn reports that the findings relate to an official HTA inspection carried out in July 2026 and that the trust has said most identified issues have since been addressed.