Horsham Council finds high standards at local funeral providers
The council reported that its visiting officers were welcomed in by the funeral directors, and that no concerns were found at any of the premises during these visits
Horsham District Council has found that all funeral providers in the local area are upkeeping high standards, having completed a series of “reassurance” visits to give residents peace of mind that their deceased loved ones are “treated with the utmost care and dignity”.
The visits came after concerns were raised last year regarding care of the deceased by a funeral director with premises in Hull and East Riding.
As a result, the Ministry of Justice wrote to all councils asking them to undertake reassurance visits to all funeral directors in their area.
All funeral directors of Horsham District were visited and assessed in accordance with government guidance, focussing on standards which included care of the deceased and record keeping.
The council reported that its visiting officers were welcomed in by the funeral directors, and that no concerns were found at any of the premises during these visits.
Whilst currently unregulated, the funeral industry does have trade bodies such as the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF), who require members to agree to a strict code of practice.
All funeral directors within the Horsham District have been found to be members of one or both of these industry bodies.
Cllr Jay Mercer, cabinet member for environment, recycling and waste at Horsham District Council, said: “With the sector being largely unregulated and there being no statutory inspection regimes like those we maintain for restaurants and licensed premises, there were concerns within the Ministry of Justice that the issues discovered in Hull and East Riding could be happening elsewhere.
“I am really pleased and reassured to know that all funeral directors operating within our district are achieving the high standards expected by bereaved families and friends and required by the industry. It is important that local residents feel reassured that when choosing a funeral director, they can do so with confidence at such a difficult time in their lives.”
The council’s review findings have been reported back to the Ministry of Justice, who are developing requirements for the future.