Hoptonheath mother in mortuary row seeks meeting with minister
Mrs Baker has been campaigning to create Joe's Law, to give families immediate access to their loved ones after their death.Mrs Baker, from Hoptonheath on the Shropshire-Herefordshire border, was shocked to be denied access to her son's body immediately after his death in 2023. His body was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital mortuary, run by the trust, who said they could not give her access until directed to by the coroner. They also apologised and said communication was not clear.Following that, in response to a letter from Mrs Baker's MP, Stuart Anderson, Health and Social Care minister Baroness Gillian Merron said there was "no current work" looking into the legislative changes.
Mrs Baker said she was "disappointed but not deterred" by the response. "I know that what I'm trying to implement is not going to happen overnight," she said. "But, at the same time, my goal remains the same. "We don't want any other mothers or fathers - or families for that matter - to have to endure what we endured so I would very much like to meet with the minister face-to-face."In the letter, Baroness Merron said the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) was responsible for reviewing standards at mortuaries. "Departmental officials are grateful to Mrs Baker for highlighting this issue," she said. "I know this response may be disappointing to Mrs Baker and her family but please be assured that the HTA works to help mortuaries to improve the standard of care they provide so that deceased people are treated with the utmost dignity and respect."
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