Des, a former charity employee from Prudhoe with no subsequent of kin, had no preparations made for his cremation.
Pals of a Northumberland man who died two months in the past have criticised public authorities for failing to rearrange his funeral.
Des Lowther, 68, handed away from bowel most cancers on October 2 and spent the next weeks in a hospital mortuary.
Des, a former charity employee from Prudhoe with no subsequent of kin, had no preparations made for his cremation.
Good friend Lisa Botto advised ChronicleLive it had been “upsetting” that neither Newcastle Hospitals NHS Belief nor Newcastle Metropolis Council stepped in to fund a public well being funeral, sometimes a direct cremation.
Two months on, buddies have lastly been in a position to pay for Des’ cremation, due to Barclays Financial institution releasing the remaining funds in his account and a crowdfunding web page. Lisa mentioned the scenario ought to by no means have fallen to them.
She mentioned: “We now have been left fuming. I labored with Des for ten years at a charity. He had quite a few well being issues, together with most cancers thrice. He died on October 2 with little or no cash, by no means having claimed advantages. He wanted a funeral, but no-one wished to take care of it.”
Des spent 20 years working for the NE Refugee Service and had beforehand been a nurse. Lisa added: “It’s taken greater than two months to provide him some dignity. He was such a stunning particular person. He shouldn’t have been left like this.”
In response to gov.uk steering, public well being funerals are organized by native authorities for many who die with out subsequent of kin, or whose family members or buddies are unable or unwilling to make preparations. NHS Trusts are suggested to develop insurance policies to make sure respectful burials or cremations for hospital deaths.
Newcastle Metropolis Council mentioned it has an obligation to rearrange funerals beneath the Nationwide Help and Public Well being Acts if no family members or belongings exist, with hospitals and care properties doubtlessly in a position to help. The council and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Belief have been approached for remark.
