Bodies have been left to decompose at NHS hospitals across England, including Royal Blackburn Hospital, according to reports by inspectors.

Officials from the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) said inadequate storage facilities and lack of freezer space meant some bodies have been left for too long at unsuitable temperatures.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said when the HTA visited its freezers were at capacity meaning two bodies awaiting funerals could not be stored, and that it has addressed issues raised by the inspection.

It added it “makes every effort to provide a dignified service” for the deceased until their funeral can take place.

Official HTA guidance says bodies should be moved into frozen storage after 30 days in fridges or before, depending on the condition of the body.

However, a series of reports show NHS trusts around the country are not always adhering to these rules and keep bodies for longer in fridges, according to the HTA.

At Royal Blackburn Hospital, inspectors in 2022 found major flaws, including discovering “two bodies in an advanced state of decomposition as a result of not being moved into frozen storage after 30 days”.

Addressing the concerns raised in the HTA report, medical director and deputy chief executive at ELHT, Jawad Husain, said: “We have a public and hospital mortuary at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital that looks after around 3,000 deceased people every year.

"In the vast majority of cases, funeral arrangements are made shortly after a person dies and we make every effort to provide a dignified service until that happens.

“There are some situations where a person has no family and if no next of kin can be found, the local council takes care of the funeral arrangements. This means the deceased is in the mortuary for a longer period.

“When the Human Tissue Authority visited in 2022, sadly there were two people with no next of kin awaiting a funeral and our freezer, which is only used when bodies are with us after 30 days, were at capacity.

"We have put improvements in place and the Human Tissue Authority confirmed to us last year that it is satisfied we have addressed any issues raised following its inspection."

A spokesperson for the HTA said: “The management of the deceased in some licensed mortuaries was identified as a concern through the HTA on-site inspection process.

“The deceased should be stored at temperatures that preserve their condition and there should be sufficient storage provision and alternatives in place if needed.

“We expect all licensed establishments to be compliant with our standards and ensure the dignity of the deceased is maintained.

“When we find shortfalls we work with establishments to ensure an action plan for improvement is put in place, lessons are learned and the issue is escalated within the establishment where necessary.”

An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS takes its responsibilities in this area seriously and all NHS trusts must follow the Human Tissue Authority’s guidance on mortuary storage practices.”