24/01/2026
Funeral Profession in the headlines
With the many news stories hitting the media involving the funeral profession, it is understandable that members of the public would question the funeral process and wither they can trust it or not. The two big stories recently have been the Funeral Director storing multiple sets of ashes and families ending up with the wrong set. The other is the wrong body being released from an NHS mortuary and ultimately have been cremated.
When a cremation takes place in Scotland, an application for cremation is made and supporting documentation is submitted. The Funeral Director signs to confirm that the person presented for cremation is the said person, and the details match the details on the coffin plate. These details are the identification details that follow the person through the cremation process and includes a unique cremation number that identifies that set of cremated remains. A small piece of card is placed in the cremated remains that contain the identifying information and the cremation number before being placed in the cremated remains, the cremated remains are then placed in a biodegradable cardboard box for transportation that also contains this information. The cremated remains are checked and signed for before they are released from the crematorium. The cremated remains are logged in when they return to the funeral home, using the same identifying information. If the family want the cremated remains as they are then they will sign them out from us and we will check the same information as before and return the original cremation certificate. If the cremated remains are to be placed in a casket or scatter tube, the same checks will take place and the card that was placed in the cremated remains will remain with the cremated remains when they are transferred into the scatter tube or casket. This will be signed over to the family using the same information as before or if the family have booked a burial for the cremated remains the Funeral Director may take the casket along to the cemetery for the burial.
When a person dies in hospital paperwork is completed by the ward that identifies the person who has died, and this includes their unique CHI number. The CHI number is unique to you, it is your date of birth and four numbers, no other person in the UK will have the same CHI number as you. The information will match the hospital identification bands you will probably have seen if you were in hospital or on a loved one who has been in hospital. The paperwork will also include any infection risks, medical devices still in place and any belongings or jewellery that the person has on transfer to the hospital mortuary. The person who has died is logged into the mortuary using the same information as before and the CHI number. When the Funeral Director comes to transfer the person who has died into our care, the details are checked using the information we have for the person against the information the hospital mortuary have, this is also checked against the identification band attached to the person who has died. If any of the information does not match, then the person who has died will not be released into our care.
We will need to wait until the full investigation has taken place to understand what went wrong with the very meticulous process of checks. I can assure you that at Easton's that our procedures are very tight and process of checks take place throughout. A tracking passport follows the person who has died through their journey in our care and includes checking and rechecking throughout.
I hope this explanation brings you a little bit of reassurance that we take the privilege we have been given, to care for your loved very seriously and we operate to the highest level of standards.
We are registered with the Scottish Governments Funeral Director Licence and abide by the Scottish Governments Code of Practice.
If you would like an explanation of something you have seen a Funeral Director do and have wondered why they did it or you have heard a myth of which they are many and would like to know the real explanation. Please reply and ask the question, let us try and explain and start a conversation about death and funerals.
