Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

Today, the independent inquiry into the issues raised by the actions of David Fuller has published its Phase 2 and final report. It focuses on whether procedures and practices in hospital and non-hospital settings sufficiently safeguard the security and dignity of the deceased and would prevent a recurrence of the issues identified by the inquiry, as well as considering the role of regulation.

I wish to pass my thanks on to any individual or organisation who has provided evidence to this important independent inquiry. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and assure them that we are committed to learning from these events.

In 2023, the independent Inquiry, chaired by Sir Jonathon Michael, published its Phase 1 report, which set out how Fuller was able to commit such shocking crimes, undetected for so long at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. The Trust set out its progress implementing all the Inquiry’s recommendations via an assurance statement in February 2024.

A Phase 2 interim report was published in October 2024. The Inquiry’s chair expedited the Inquiry’s work on the funeral sector in light of reports of cases of neglect. The interim report presented preliminary findings and recommendations on the funeral sector in England. the Government committed to responding to these recommendations as part of the final phase two Government response.

The overall conclusion of today’s final report is that current arrangements for the care of people after death are partial, ineffective and in some areas, completely lacking. The overarching recommendation for Government is that there should be statutory regulation to protect the security and dignity of people after death, regardless of the setting or institution.

Today’s report makes 75 detailed recommendations in total, including 19 for Trusts and 25 for Local Authorities focusing on access, dignity, security and wider processes and procedures to protect deceased individuals. A smaller number of recommendations (31) focus on independent hospitals, medical education, hospices, Ambulance services, care homes, the funeral sector and faith organisations, making specific recommendations to improve the care of the deceased. This includes recommendations for UK Government to establish an independent statutory regulatory regime for the funeral sector.

Every deceased individual deserves to receive the highest standard of care and dignity. The Government will work to ensure this is the case, across all settings, be that in the NHS or other settings including Local Authority mortuaries, hospices, ambulance services, care homes, funeral homes, and faith organisations.

The Government recognises the urgency of the concerns raised by the Inquiry’s recommendations and will respond at pace. This will include an interim update on progress this year and a final response by Summer 2026.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

On 28 November 2023, the report of Phase 1 of the Fuller Independent Inquiry was published. Phase 1 of the Inquiry looked into how David Fuller’s appalling crimes in the mortuaries at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust remained undetected for so long.

I wish to express my deepest sympathies to the victims’ families and reassure them that lessons will be learnt.

The Inquiry found highly concerning failings in the Trust’s running, management, and oversight of the mortuaries, and that it was due to this uncontrolled environment that David Fuller was able to offend undetected. Management, governance and regulation failures, alongside poor compliance to standard policies and procedures, and a persistent lack of curiosity, all contributed to the creation of the environment in which David Fuller was able to offend for 15 years without ever being suspected or caught.

The 17 recommendations - 16 for the Trust and the remaining one for Kent County Council and East Sussex County Council - made by the Inquiry in Phase 1 aim to prevent anything similar happening again at the Trust.

Today I am updating the House on the response to those recommendations. The Trust published an assurance statement in February 2024 on the implementation of the recommendations from the Phase 1 report. This sets out the progress made to implement the Inquiry’s recommendations.

The range of actions taken by the Trust include requiring that non-mortuary staff and contractors are always accompanied by another staff member when visiting the mortuaries; controlling access to mortuaries using swipe cards; mandating contractors to renew security clearances every three years; and installing CCTV coverage monitoring access to and from mortuary areas. The Trust Board is also providing greater oversight and assurance of legally regulated activity in the mortuary.

I am also reassured that NHS England’s South East regional team held monthly oversight meetings with the Trust between November 2023 and April 2024 (in partnership with Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board) to ensure progress against the Inquiry’s recommendations and to review evidence of the Trust’s progress in delivering their action plan. Ongoing compliance with the Inquiry's recommendations will be monitored by NHS England through regular regional oversight meetings with the Trust, and through other channels as appropriate.

Kent County Council and East Sussex County Council have reviewed contractual arrangements with the Trust and confirmed that the contracts include terms requiring that licensing and regulatory requirements are met to ensure the deceased are at all times treated with dignity and respect.

Phase 2 of the Independent Inquiry will consider whether procedures and practices in hospital and non-hospital settings, where deceased people are kept, are sufficient to safeguard the security and dignity of the deceased.

In light of the disturbing events in Hull earlier this year, which brought into sharp focus the lack of regulation and oversight in the funeral sector, we have agreed that the Inquiry will today publish an interim report on the findings from their funeral sector module. This will provide recommendations on safeguarding the security and dignity of the deceased in that sector.

The Government is committed to preventing any similar atrocities happening again and ensuring that the deceased are safeguarded and treated with dignity.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Independent Inquiry into the issues raised by the David Fuller case is continuing to carefully consider evidence. The Report into the first phase of the Inquiry on local matters concerning Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is planned in 2023. A final report containing recommendations relating to the broader national picture and wider lessons for the National Health Service and for other settings is expected to follow in 2024.