Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the turnaround times for (a) hospital and (b) HM Coroner's Office post mortems in (i) neonatal and paediatric and (ii) other cases.

Workforce shortages in paediatric and perinatal pathology have led to longer turnaround times for hospital post-mortem reports in some areas of England. NHS England has established a national work programme to address these shortages.

A £20,000 recruitment incentive for new trainees has been introduced, with further initiatives underway to review the training pathway, develop advanced practitioner roles, and implement a retention strategy for existing staff.

Additional funding has also been provided in 2024/25 to create capacity in the service, whilst simultaneously exploring opportunities to streamline pathways through the use of digital and imaging techniques supported by the latest clinical evidence and practice.