Revealed, 999 crews routinely abandon the dead so they can finish work on time: Disturbing report finds staff are paying undertakers to transport bodies to morgues 

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Dr Anthony Marsh, chief executive of the troubled East of England Ambulance Service, issued an apology after the incident became known

Paramedics have left bodies unattended at ambulance stations for hours at a time to avoid finishing their shifts late, a disturbing report has revealed.

Crews meant to transport bodies to hospital morgues have instead paid undertakers to do the job for them so they can go home. On other occasions they have handed over their vehicles, with a body on board, to workers on the next shift to make sure they could leave on time.

The shocking lack of respect shown to the dead emerged in a serious incident review into the case of James Harrison by the East of England ambulance service.

Mr Harrison, 32, should have been taken to a hospital morgue in Cambridge after he collapsed and died in the street in September. Instead – in an act branded ‘disgusting’ by patients’ groups – his body was left next to bins at Ely ambulance station in Cambridgeshire by paramedics about to finish their shift.

Katherine Murphy, of the Patients’ Association, said: ‘I’m saddened and disgusted at how paramedics feel they can treat somebody just because they’re dead.

‘Whatever happened to public service? How would they like it if it was their own relative?’

The internal report revealed:

• Mr Harrison’s body was left for more than two hours, not one hour as previously thought;
• The lack of refrigeration may have caused problems with a post-mortem examination;
• There is evidence of at least one similar previous incident – and the service admits there may be more; 
• None of the paramedics referred to in the report has been sacked over the incident. 

Mr Harrison was found a short distance from his home in Cambridgeshire in the early hours of September 24. An emergency call was placed at 5.13am and an ambulance crew arrived at 5.30am.

Police also attended but no ‘obvious trauma’ was found so they gave permission for the plumber’s body to be moved. 

It was placed in a body bag, but instead of being taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, it was transported six miles to Ely.

The report said: ‘That crew were due to finish at 6am but in an effort to prevent them being too late off shift, the local rapid response vehicle paramedic suggested that they transport the deceased patient to the local ambulance station to remove him from public gaze. 

The body of James Harrison was left on the floor next to bins for three hours at Ely Ambulance Station after paramedics from East of England Ambulance Service didn't want to work late - the service has apologised

Mr Harrison was found dead near Littleport fire station, where police spent three days investigating his death

‘The police were asked to arrange for the undertaker to collect the patient from the station and convey him to the hospital mortuary.’

A police officer remained with the body at the ambulance station but when a new sergeant came on shift at 7.45am he informed the ambulance service that the force would not be arranging transport and they would have to take Mr Harrison to Cambridge ‘as soon as possible’.

The report said there had not been enough time to investigate the ‘scale’ of the arrangement with the local undertaker or ‘if this is isolated to one undertaker’. Investigations are continuing.

A service spokesman admitted the practice may be more widespread, adding: ‘We don’t know how many [times it has happened].’

Investigators also found crews coming to the end of their shift had ‘swapped with an on-coming crew, while en route to the mortuary… on five occasions’.

One paramedic has been removed from his role and is working elsewhere under supervision. A decision is yet to be made about what action to take with other members of staff involved.

Mr Harrison’s relatives declined to comment yesterday but a friend said: ‘This report has reopened the wounds. It is very upsetting.’ 

Ely Ambulance Station - where Mr Harrison's body was left for three hours as crews didn't want to work late

The report is another blow for East of England service chief executive Anthony Marsh, who has been accused of doing a part-time job because he also runs the West Midlands service.

Dr Marsh is paid £232,000 a year, yet under the former ambulanceman, the West Midlands service has been fined £2.6 million for missing targets. And the East of England service reached just 73.6 per cent of ‘Red 1’ calls – the most life-threatening – within eight minutes in the year to March 2014.

Health minister Dan Poulter has said: ‘Effectively, Dr Marsh is being paid two salaries at the same time, even though he’s only doing half a job for each ambulance service.’

Dr Marsh declined to comment.

Tory MP Priti Patel said: ‘It is unacceptable and disrespectful to treat those who have died in this way. Action should be taken against those responsible.’

Tracy Nicholls, the East of England service’s director of clinical quality, said: ‘We apologise wholeheartedly to the family for the distress this incident has caused – it should never have happened.’