A major Scottish hospital is embroiled in a fresh controversy after the body of a 96-year-old grandmother was handed over to a funeral director the family had not chosen. The distressing error at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow has prompted an official complaint and raised serious questions about mortuary procedures.
A Shocking Phone Call During Grief
Nicole Brammer, 54, was arranging a direct cremation for her late grandmother, Agnes Lane, with a company called Silver Rose. The retired bus conductor had passed away at the QEUH on November 27. Days later, Ms Brammer received a call that left her horrified.
Co-op Funeralcare contacted her to sign a contract, informing her they were in possession of her grandmother's body. "I was completely shocked. They said, 'We've got your gran'. I didn't understand, as I hadn't signed up with them," Ms Brammer recalled. She described the feeling as though her grandmother had been "stolen," expressing disbelief that the hospital could release the body without her authorisation.
A Pattern of Disturbing Errors at QEUH
This incident is not isolated. It comes just weeks after another serious mix-up at the same hospital, where a family cremated someone they mistakenly believed was their relative, only to discover their loved one was still in the morgue. Staff suspensions followed that investigation.
The QEUH, a £847 million "superhospital," has a troubling history of such failures. In 2017, the body of 56-year-old William Paterson was nearly cremated by the wrong funeral director after a similar release error. In 2021, a mother of four was left in the mortuary for six weeks, with her family claiming NHS staff had "forgotten" about her.
Family's Trauma and Calls for Change
Upon learning of the previous cases, Ms Brammer experienced a weekend of "hell," fearing it may not have been her grandmother who was eventually cremated. She had to send photographs to Silver Rose for confirmation. "This is not something anyone should have to go through at any time, let alone when they are grieving," she stated.
Ms Brammer has criticised the apparent lack of robust checks, revealing that all that is needed to collect a body is a name, date of birth, and address, with no requirement to show a contract from the family. "It’s a free for all. That has to change," she asserted, adding her conviction that such mistakes happen more often than is publicly known.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde stated that QEUH staff "fully complied with all agreed procedures" and that they were in touch with the family. A spokesperson extended condolences to Ms Lane's family.
Co-op Funeralcare confirmed Ms Brammer had inquired about their services but said they believed she had contracted them. They stated they acted "in good faith and in line with best practice" and facilitated a transfer to the correct director on the same day they were informed of the mistake, assuring the family of the high standard of care provided.
