I am submitting a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please could you provide the following information relating to post-mortem services commissioned by your council or coroner service:

1. The number of post-mortem examinations conducted in your local authority area in each of the last five calendar years (or financial years if more accessible).

2. A breakdown of the types of post-mortems (e.g., standard, forensic, hospital, etc.) if recorded.

3. The number of pathologists currently available or on record for conducting post-mortems within your jurisdiction.

4. Whether your council has outsourced post-mortems to external companies or agencies – if so:
o The names of the companies or agencies used in the past five years.
o The fees paid to these external providers per post-mortem, if available.

5. The current fee structure or rates paid to pathologists per post-mortem, if these are directly commissioned by your authority.

6. The current backlog or waiting list for post-mortems (i.e., number of outstanding or delayed cases), as of the most recent data available.

If any of the information is not held by your authority but instead by a local coroner’s office, NHS Trust, or another public body, I would appreciate it if you could direct me accordingly.