Care and Identification of the Deceased Policy

Purpose. This policy sets the standards for dignity, privacy, custody and positive identification of every deceased person in Everlasting's care, from first call to burial, cremation or repatriation.

1.Dignity and respect

Every deceased person will be handled gently, covered at all times when not being actively cared for, spoken about by name and never left unattended in a public area. Photography of a deceased person is prohibited unless a family gives written consent for a specific purpose. Staff must not discuss cases outside the workplace or on any social platform.

2.Chain of custody

Everlasting will maintain an unbroken and documented chain of custody. Each transfer of care, whether from a hospital, home, coroner or another funeral director, and each internal movement between the transfer vehicle, cool room, embalming theatre, chapel and cemetery or crematorium, will be recorded with the date, time, the names of both persons involved and the identification check performed.

3.Positive identification

Identification is a two-person check at every transfer of care. The identifying details on the wrist tag, the transfer form and the releasing institution's documentation must match before the deceased is moved. If any detail does not match, the transfer will stop and the Mortuary Manager or duty funeral director will be contacted. Identification tags will not be removed at any stage; a coffin identification plate carrying the same details will be fitted at encoffining.

• Full name and date of birth
• Date and place of death
• Releasing institution or address
• Everlasting case reference
• Names and signatures of both persons checking

4.Refrigeration and time in care

The deceased will be placed in refrigeration within one hour of arrival at the mortuary unless embalming or preparation begins immediately. Cool room temperature will be checked and logged twice daily and any reading outside 2 to 6 degrees Celsius will be reported and rectified. The condition of the deceased will be assessed daily and any change recorded in the mortuary care register.

5.Personal effects

Jewellery, clothing and personal items received with the deceased must be itemised on the transfer form, stored in a labelled sealed bag and returned to the family or placed with the deceased only as the family instructs in writing. Implanted devices identified by the family, the medical certificate or examination must be recorded because they affect cremation.

6.Privacy and information

Personal and health information about the deceased and their family is collected only for the funeral, registration and permit purposes and is handled under the Privacy Act 1988 and Victorian health records law. Records will be stored securely, released only to authorised persons, and retained for the period required by the cemeteries and crematoria legislation for permanent registers.

7.Coronial and reportable cases

Where a death is reportable to the coroner, the deceased will not be prepared, embalmed, released or cremated until the coroner's release and the cremation permit are held. Staff will follow the coroner's directions in full and will record every instruction received.