PUBLIC health funerals have cost the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust more than £31,000 since 2007.

The burials or cremations of patients whose relatives are either deceased or are not willing to pay for a funeral each cost an average of £1,200 for the trust, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

Between the financial years from 2007 to 2010, 40 funerals have taken place – 30 for men and 10 for women.

Of the 40, six were between the ages of 31 and 50, 28 were between the ages of 51 and 80 and six were over the age of 81-year’s-old.

A GWH spokesman said: “The trust provides transfer to the funeral director, a hearse to the final resting place, a funeral service conducted by a hospital chaplain, burial or cremation and, if the latter, scattering of the ashes in the garden of remembrance. The local authority is responsible for community deaths.

“This trust refers families to the social fund, which is only applicable if they are on certain means tested benefits.

“If we need to enter the property of a patient who lives in local authority housing, we will contact the local authority to inform them.

“We currently have no other contact with them.

“We are in the process of a service review of public health funerals, which will give much clearer guidance and procedures.”

Since April 2009, there have been 18 cases where family and friends have refused to finance or to make arrangements for their relative’s funeral.

And the cost to the trust has continued to increase during the past four years, from just £7,555.58 in 2007/8 to £13,407.63 in 2009/10.

David Newell, deputy general manager for diagnostics and outpatients, said: “There are things that we do, such as firstly making sure we fully investigate the circumstances of the deceased, what their history is and whether they have relatives.

“If they do have relatives, but the relatives are perhaps not in a position to be able to pay for the funeral, we can make sure they are aware of all the options and support available to them, such as setting up a payment plan with the funeral directors to spread the cost.

“If they have no next of kin, we will can also look at the deceased’s property to try and gain as much information about their financial situation and credit history, and see if there is funding available which could pay for the funeral.

“With recent improvements to our mortuary and bereavement services, we are confident that we can combat some of the issues with providing public health funerals.

“However, a lot of the time it comes down to discussions with the family of the deceased, and going through all the options for paying so they know what’s available to them.”