Bequest of a body for anatomical examination, education or training
Bequests of bodies after death to Newcastle University are used either to teach anatomy to medical and dental students and other health care professionals at Newcastle University or for surgical training, education or research at Newcastle Surgical Training Unit at Freeman Hospital. Bequests are utilised at both of these sites.

To make a bequest please obtain a bequest pack containing all the necessary information and consent forms from:

The Bequeathal Secretary
Anatomy and Clinical Skills
School of Medical Sciences Education Development
Newcastle University
Framlington Place
Newcastle upon Tyne

Tel No: 0191 208 5437 or 0191 208 6969

Email: anatomy.bequests@ncl.ac.uk

Newcastle University website: www.ncl.ac.uk/sme/services/donate/

Bequest Registration
You should read through the bequest pack and discuss your wishes with your next-of-kin/executor so that they know your intentions and are willing to carry out your wishes after your death. In order to register your bequest, you will need to complete two Bequest Consent Forms in the presence of a witness (this may be a spouse/partner, next-of-kin, executor, friend, solicitor, etc). One copy should be returned to the Bequeathal Secretary so that your name can be included in our register of potential donors. The second copy should be retained by you.

It is not possible to guarantee the acceptance of any bequest at any time. The main reasons for non-acceptance are if:

• there has to be a Coroner's post mortem;
• a person dies abroad;
• there is a severe infection (e.g. hepatitis, tuberculosis, HIV, MRSA, septicaemia);
• a person has Alzheimer's disease or senile dementia of unknown cause;
• a person has had a recent operation (where the wound has not healed);
• a person has bed sores, varicose ulcers, oedema.

It is possible to consider bequests from donors who have cancer.

Procedure at the Time of Death
A death should be notified to the Bequeathal Secretary by telephone as soon as possible during normal office hours Mondays to Fridays on 0191 2085437. A decision regarding the acceptance of the bequest will be made as quickly as possible. For deaths occurring over a weekend, arrangements should be made for the body to be moved to a local funeral director (with refrigeration facilities) and then telephone us on the next working day. Alternatively, potential body donors may also contact the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) who will put them in touch with their local medical school. The HTA can be contacted at the following address:

Human Tissue Authority
Finlaison House
15-17 Furnival Street
London
EC4A
020 7211 3400

Main contact
 The Bequeathal Secretary, anatomy.bequests@ncl.ac.uk