Time to end Ash Cash

9.25.00pm GMT Mon 18th Jan 2010

Doctors working in hospitals earned almost £15m last year in so called 'ash cash' payments made by grieving families, figures released today by the Liberal Democrats have revealed. The payment is made to doctors to sign a form releasing a body for cremation.

In Exeter doctors at the RD&E confirmed that 950 of their patients had died and in return were paid £119,510.

Commenting Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:

"This is a well established practice but you really can't justify taking money off grieving relatives when this involves nothing beyond most doctors normal working hours.

"People are at their most vulnerable after the death of a loved one and the last thing they need is these extra charges.

"The NHS is meant to care for people from the cradle to grave but these charges undermine that principle.

"The Government must take action to put an end to this practice as soon as possible as it simply cannot be justified."

Local Lib Dem Graham Oakes added: "The figures only cover the hospital with many more people dying at home and the GPs receiving the money. I know that doctors work hard but they are also very well paid and there is no justification for this charge. In some cases doctors give the money away, however it would be better if the charge wasn't made in the first place."