Removal and Transfer of Deceased Persons in WA Regional and Remote Areas

The Department of Justice (the Customer) requires suitable organisations to undertake the removal and transfer of bodies in regional areas to the nearest convenient mortuary or facility, including repatriation if necessary, under the control and direction of the Coroner.

Body removal services are essential for the functioning and integrity of the Coronial system to enable the coroner to fulfil their statutory obligation in determining the manner and cause of death pursuant to the Coroner’s Act 1996. The provision of body removal services is critical to the operations of the State Coroner, which is primarily for the following reasons:

• When a person dies where a cause of death cannot be certified under section 44 of Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1998; the body then falls under the immediate jurisdiction of the State Coroner.
• In order for the State Coroner to establish cause of death of the deceased person the body must be transferred to the State Mortuary as soon as is practicable. Delays in removing and transferring a deceased is not desirable as this will:

• Result in continued decomposition of the body, which will compromise the validity of any toxicology and any other testing of tissue required to be performed by a Forensic Pathologist; and
• Compromise the ability of a Forensic Pathologist to establish a cause of death for the Coroner’s determination, this being one of the prime functions of the State Coroner.