Des, a former charity worker from Prudhoe with no next of kin, had no arrangements made for his cremation.
Friends of a Northumberland man who died two months ago have criticised public authorities for failing to arrange his funeral.
Des Lowther, 68, passed away from bowel cancer on October 2 and spent the following weeks in a hospital mortuary.
Des, a former charity worker from Prudhoe with no next of kin, had no arrangements made for his cremation.
Friend Lisa Botto told ChronicleLive it had been “upsetting” that neither Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust nor Newcastle City Council stepped in to fund a public health funeral, typically a direct cremation.
Two months on, friends have finally been able to pay for Des’ cremation, thanks to Barclays Bank releasing the remaining funds in his account and a crowdfunding page. Lisa said the situation should never have fallen to them.
She said: “We have been left fuming. I worked with Des for ten years at a charity. He had numerous health problems, including cancer three times. He died on October 2 with very little money, never having claimed benefits. He needed a funeral, yet no-one wanted to deal with it.”
Des spent 20 years working for the NE Refugee Service and had previously been a nurse. Lisa added: “It’s taken more than two months to give him some dignity. He was such a lovely person. He should not have been left like this.”
According to gov.uk guidance, public health funerals are arranged by local authorities for those who die without next of kin, or whose relatives or friends are unable or unwilling to make arrangements. NHS Trusts are advised to develop policies to ensure respectful burials or cremations for hospital deaths.
Newcastle City Council said it has a duty to arrange funerals under the National Assistance and Public Health Acts if no relatives or assets exist, with hospitals and care homes potentially able to assist. The council and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust have been approached for comment.
