Human Tissue Authority inspectors found that a dead body at Worthing Hospital's mortuary was visible from a public footpath after staff propped open a fire exit door during a July heatwave, raising serious concerns about dignity and security at the facility. The inspection, carried out on 7 and 8 July at Worthing and its satellite sites, also uncovered failings that put bereaved families at risk of being shown the wrong body, prompting the regulator to record ten major and six minor breaches of its standards.

Inspectors observed a body being prepared for release from the footpath outside, while the CCTV camera meant to monitor the fire exit was not working, even though live footage of viewing tables and body fridges was visible on office monitors. Staff were not consistently checking identifying details against family records, and seven bodies across Worthing and the Royal Sussex had been kept in refrigerated storage for over 30 days and were deteriorating. Other issues included fridges and freezers without backup power and incomplete consent records under the Human Tissue Act. University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the sites, said most problems had already been fixed and stressed its licence had not been suspended, following wider NHS calls for tighter mortuary security after the David Fuller scandal.