Dead bodies left on Birmingham Hospital wards, claims whistleblower

Apr 12 2009 by Alison Dayani, Sunday Mercury

DEAD patients are being left in hospital ward beds for up to SEVEN HOURS because there are not enough staff to move bodies to the mortuary, it was claimed last night.

David Whitsey, 51, has blown the whistle on alleged failures at Birmingham’s Heartlands Hospital after working there for nine years as a porter.

In a series of damning allegations the former supervisor claimed staff shortages had led to:

Heartlands Hospital and contract firm Healthcare Initial, which supplies porters and cleaners, deny the claims, although health chiefs admitted dead bodies can occasionally be left on wards to allow relatives to pay their respects.

But the allegations have been backed by union Unison and a fellow porter.

Mr Whitsey, from Yardley in Birmingham, had worked part-time at the Bordesley Green hospital, spending the rest of the week as a bus driver.

He decided to speak out after being sacked for allegedly breaching health and safety rules – by not pushing a trolley correctly. He later lost an appeal but is now pursuing a claim for unfair dismissal.

“What happens behind closed doors at Heartlands Hospital is disgraceful,” claimed Mr Whitsey.