Funeral director criticises mortuary closure

A funeral director has said he is disappointed with the decision to close a hospital mortuary and relocate it elsewhere.

Mortuary services are being relocated from Kettering General Hospital (KGH) to a new facility about 12 miles away in Northampton.

Tim Jones, who is the boss of a funeral firm in Kettering, said it felt like a "top-down decision" rather than a "collaborative effort".

The hospital said its priority was to "ensure dignified care for the deceased, compassionate support for bereaved families, and appropriate use of resources".

"The focus seems to be on logistics and capacity rather than compassion and experience," said Mr Jones.

"Bereavement is a deeply personal and distressing time. Every step in the journey – from hospital to mortuary to funeral – should be centred on dignity, familiarity, and sensitivity.

"Removing the mortuary from the local hospital breaks that chain and places an extra emotional burden on families."

Mr Jones' posts about the issue on Facebook have had more than 1,000 shares.

The new mortuary, located at Booth Meadow on the Riverside Business Park, will serve both Kettering and Northampton general hospitals.

It has been described by health officials as a state-of-the-art facility, designed to modernise services while improving accessibility.

It will include private viewing and identification areas, enhanced transport links, and free parking.

The £9.4m facility is due to open in the autumn.

Kettering and Northampton hospitals have both struggled with how much space they have available.

KGH has been unable to offer family viewing facilities for five years, while Northampton general only resumed viewings recently.

A spokesperson from University Hospitals of Northamptonshire said: "[Transporting bodies] will be done in a dignified way with special ambulances and will be subject to stringent conditions and monitoring.

"We will be considering how to support families who feel unable to visit the new facility and do not feel they can wait until a loved one is in the care of their funeral director."

The hospital trust added it was in the process of engaging with mortuary staff and other stakeholders, with a meeting planned for 10 April.

West Northamptonshire Council said the new mortuary would reduce delays, streamline services, and save nearly £500,000 a year.

But Mr Jones added: "It's disappointing.

"This feels like a top-down decision imposed on communities, rather than a collaborative effort to improve services in a way that respects local needs and values."

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