There is adequate capacity for conducting routine post mortem examinations in Aberdeen. Locum pathologists are instructed each week to ensure that post mortems are conducted within the target turnaround time of five working days from the later of the Crown instruction or the deceased being admitted to the mortuary.

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There are currently no forensic pathologists based in Aberdeen.

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There is no backlog of post mortem examinations in Aberdeen and the majority of routine examinations are completed within agreed targets.

COPFS works closely with the Aberdeen mortuary team and locum pathologists to ensure that any issues with service delivery are highlighted and resolved as quickly as possible with the minimum of impact to bereaved families.

NHS Grampian has provided COPFS with a commitment to implement a forensic pathology service in Aberdeen, including the recruitment of full-time forensic pathologists, and COPFS is supporting that process.

It is however a matter for NHS Grampian to recruit forensic pathologists to provide the services.

The reimplementation of a forensic pathology service in Aberdeen may allow one of the forensic pathologist training posts to be filled there, improving the potential for sustainable forensic services in Aberdeen and Scotland.

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COPFS is not responsible for training or recruiting Crown-instructed pathologists.

However, there are currently four forensic pathologist training posts in Scotland and three of those are filled – one in Glasgow and two in Edinburgh. There is currently no capacity elsewhere in Scotland to fill the fourth training post.

Forensic Pathologists are not automatically deployed at the conclusion of their training. There must be a post available with a service provider and Forensic Pathologists need to apply through normal recruitment processes.

Three forensic pathologists have left positions in Aberdeen in the last five years. One pathologist took up a post with the Home Office in England. Two pathologists transferred to other positions in Scotland where they continue to conduct Crown-instructed examinations.