£1.2m Digital Autopsy facility set to open in Sandwell in October

A REVOLUTIONARY £1.2m digital autopsy facility will open in Sandwell in October.

iGene, operator of the world’s first Digital Autopsy Facility network has struck a deal with Sandwell Council which will see the new facility installed at Sandwell Valley crematorium.

When the Coroner deems a post mortem is required in order to establish a cause of death, as is the norm in around 70% of cases, the partnership between Sandwell Council and iGene will enable families to request a Digital Autopsy.

In deaths where a post mortem is not required by the Coroner, families can still request a Digital Autopsy for their own peace of mind.

The crematorium building, which is being provided by Sandwell Council is to be extensively altered to accommodate the new facility, which is being funded by iGene. The company has agreed to train and support pathologists across the region in the benefits of the new technology.
 
Ash Govind, Global Vice President for iGene, said: “Digital Autopsy offers a significant humanitarian step forward in establishing the cause of death using software rather than a scalpel. We are delighted to have signed the agreement with Sandwell Council, a forward-thinking local authority, to bring digital autopsies to the West Midlands.”

Sandwell Council’s deputy leader Councillor Mahboob Hussain said: “As an authority we have been committed for some years to developing the best possible services for the bereaved. Combining our Coroners, Bereavement and Registration services into a single service to support families. The addition of this ground breaking technology is an important step in this journey.

“Having the international company, iGene, choose Sandwell as its partner to provide a Midlands centre of Excellence in Digital Autopsy confirms we are delivering the right services for bereaved families in Sandwell. Furthermore families of the Black Country and the wider Midlands will also benefit from this wonderful facility.”  

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