St Luke's mortuary

I have much sympathy for Mr Ellul, writing from Canada (The Sunday Times, July 4), who was shocked to see St Luke's Hospital mortuary packed with bodies, including his father's, over the Easter long weekend when, according to prevailing local Church tradition, no burials are permitted between Thursday and Monday.

Mr Ellul was taken aback by the sight of about 15 bodies but, in fact, the mortuary had to house 33 bodies that long weekend. Our mortuary caters not only for hospital deaths but also for a number of deaths at home.

The overall structure and dimensions of our mortuary have not changed since the hospital was built, but it has actually been much improved these last few years. It is now air-conditioned and curtains now separate the mortuary into body-viewing compartments to provide some privacy for relatives.

Unfortunately, Mr Ellul experienced the mortuary in its overcrowded state over the long Easter weekend. What he took to be a door, with a body laid over it, was in fact one of a number of wooden tops purposely made by the hospital carpenter to be used for bodies when the mortuary is crowded.

The mortuary is presently not equipped with body-storage fridges. However these have been ordered and will be installed shortly. Furthermore the lack of formalised visiting hours, permitting the bereaved to view their deceased relatives at all sorts of hours of the working day, creates difficulties for the mortuary staff. More civilised viewing of the deceased would need an appointment system for relatives to visit the mortuary.

While Mr Ellul's comments have been taken in, the hospital authorities will continue to strive to improve all aspects of the hospital's services within existing priorities.