Funeral Service Times August 2017 October 2018 | Página 6

6
DISPATCHES
Man steals mother-
in-law’s body from
funeral home after
he couldn’t make
contact
Terry Tennens,
chief executive of SAIF
What can the profession learn from the headline-grabbing first
annual report made by the new Scottish Inspector of Funeral
Directors?
Recent headlines about the Scottish Inspector of Funeral Directors Natalie McKail's
first annual report may have resulted in sharp intakes of breath amongst many funeral
directors.
It was perhaps inevitable that the media’s focus would be on the outcomes of
inspections that resulted in remedial action, given the current narrative around
standards and costs. But as a funeral director, you’ll know that the vast majority of
businesses are responsible and work hard to do the best by the families they serve.
Nevertheless, our industry cannot afford to be complacent and each of us needs
to strive for excellence in everything we do for bereaved families, whether that’s in
relation to care, communication or price transparency.
I hope you have had a chance to read the inspector’s report. I actually think it’s an
incredibly fair document and shows that Natalie has quickly understood the profession,
approaching her role with professionalism and balance. The report talks in detail about
five key areas in which she is developing inspection audits. These are: culture, ethos
and confidence in management; conveyance and care of the deceased; understanding,
recording and acting on the wishes of the deceased or bereaved both pre or at time of
need; asset management; and audit of procedures, practice and recordkeeping.
Much of this should be already built into your business practices and if you’re a
trade association member, you’ll be familiar with audits and inspections. But are you
confident that your staff fully understand your business model, contract arrangements
and the need for continuous improvement? If, hand on heart, you’re unable to answer
yes to this question, then I urge you to look at the inspector’s report and try to identify
potential areas of exposure.
SAIF Scotland has been working closely with the inspector and other officials at the
Scottish government through what are known as the ‘Short Life Working Groups’ to
develop a statutory code of practice for funeral directors, which will undoubtedly cover
in some way the five areas listed above. All members of the profession in Scotland
will have to adhere to this, regardless of whether they belong to a trade association.
Ahead of publication of the code, I encourage you to read the inspector’s report and her
recommendations as it will help you to put your business on the front foot.
Don’t wait to be told by the government that your business needs to make
improvements, because when it reaches that stage you could well find yourself in the
public domain for the wrong reasons. And this will only feed the current media narrative
about the funeral profession.
You and I both know the vast majority of funeral directors and their staff do a fantastic
job for a fair price. Let’s not give anyone a chance to say otherwise.
He hired a van in order to break
into the funeral parlour and take his
mother-in-law’s body
A man broke into a funeral home
and robbed his mother-in-law’s
body after he couldn’t contact the
company.
The man from Rochester, who
has not been named, told media he
was worried the body would not be
returned in time for the funeral and
said he wanted to give her “a proper
send off” for his wife.
The original funeral director,
Butterfly Funeral Services of
Rochester, Kent, has since been
banned from trading and another
funeral director carried out the
service on the same day instead.
The man told media: “I had no
option, I’d even spent two days at
the police station trying to track the
owner down, but I just couldn’t get
hold of her. I had to get the body out.
I had taken on all of the organising
and I didn’t want to bother my wife at
this time. She still to this day doesn’t
know what happened and I won’t be
telling her.”
The man’s actions took place a
year ago but only came to light this
week when bailiffs repossessing
the premises discovered 16 urns
and reunited them with the rightful
owners.
The owner of the business Karen
Calder claimed she was ill at the time
and was forced to close the business.
She said: “I sincerely apologise if
the families I have served have had
difficulty in contacting me.”
Terry Tennens,
chief executive of SAIF
SEPTEMBER 2018
www.funeralservicetimes.co.uk