State facilities and end-of-life care

Sir, – Fintan O’Toole writes of the abysmal conditions in the Dublin City Mortuary (“Ireland’s treatment of the dead shows a mentality we have yet to overcome”, July 5th). His thoughts are very close to the thinking behind a programme of work led by Irish Hospice Foundation which is called Design & Dignity. The programme turns old and dated hospital spaces into oases of calm where bad news can be broken sensitively or where families can gather in peace and privacy when they have received the news of a loved one’s death. The project is grounded in the firm belief that the end of life should be recognised as a time of the most intense human emotion. This is never more so than when viewing one’s loved one in a State facility. These emotions should not have to be endured in inappropriate surroundings such as a busy corridor, a waiting room or a tiny reception area, where others may be passing through.

To date, over 47 projects across Ireland have already been supported. Through this programme we have assisted hospital to improve their facilities, including 13 mortuaries. Our “Design & Dignity Guidelines: Transforming end-of-life care in hospitals, one room at a time” is a fantastic guidance for renovations where end of life and bereavement is experienced within hospital facilities. This was produced in 2020 and includes guidance for public spaces for mortuaries. So the thinking is already done.

We have been advocating for a National Mortuary Capital Programme, using a phased approach with an initial ring-fenced capital fund of ¤15 million to substantially address this issue within hospitals over five years.

The HSE is now planning to renovate a range of HSE mortuaries as part of their capital development. We would contend that coroner mortuaries should be included in State development of mortuaries as an urgent priority. – Yours, etc,