HM Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland: annual report 2022-2023

Edinburgh

53. Head of Anatomy: Professor Tom Gillingwater

54. There are 7 personal licence holders, 6 academic and 1 technical.

55. All licences were available for inspection.

Licensed Areas:

56. No change from 2018 – 2019 inspection.

57. Premises licence expiry date – 20 August 2032.

58. A map of the licensed area was made available.

Record Keeping:

59. A comprehensive record keeping system is in place; this is held both as a paper copy and backed up on a university server to which only the Head of Anatomy and the Bequest Coordinator/Chief Technician have access. The paper copy is stored in a fireproof cabinet.

Bequest Information:

*Although this is a high number of rejections, a comprehensive list of all bodies rejected and the reasons why can be provided.

Bodies Currently Held In The Department:

Record Check:

60. A check of the Register of bodies/body parts held and their location was made. Everything was found in excellent order.

Code of Practice/Signed Agreements:

61. Everyone using cadaver material in the teaching lab is required to read and sign a Code of Practice. This was made available for inspection.

University Courses Using Anatomy Facilities:

62. Over the past year, 9 university courses have used the anatomy facilities. Public workshops are now running again after being suspended during the pandemic.

Courses Run At The Royal College Of Surgeons Using Cadaver Material from the Department:

63. Eight courses in total – see appendix.

64. Bodies and body parts are transferred between the anatomy department and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh for courses run by the College. A tracking system is in place to monitor the movement of specimens between the two establishments.

External Courses Using Anatomy Facilities:

65. Six external courses used the anatomy facilities these being:

• Westmont College, USA
• Deanery Teaching CST Simulation NHS
• Public Workshops
• EANS Advanced Spine Course
• Hand & Wrist Surgery
• Trauma Symposium

66. A licensed teacher is present at all times when courses are run in the teaching lab.

Museum:

67. The museum opened to the public again after being closed for the duration of the pandemic.

• Visitors: 2003
• Research Enquiries (Internal): 180
• Research Enquiries (External): 211

Further Points Arising From Inspection:

68. At the previous inspection, it was reported that the Receiving Room facilities were in need of upgrading and were lagging behind the standard found in all of the other Scottish medical schools. This has since been carried out.

69. A walk around the department found it to well maintained and in good order.

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

70. Skills Centre Manager: Lynsey Forbes

71. There are 3 technical personal licence holders at present. All licences were made available for inspection.

72. Premises Licence expiry date: 3 May 2027

Access To Licensed Areas:

73. Access to all licensed areas is via a Paxton networked control system. A floor plan showing all the doors secured using the system was provided. The system allows real-time monitoring and control of who has access to different areas and can be used to restrict access to a specific timeframe.

Record Keeping/ Signed Agreements:

74. A copy of the Code of Conduct for those participating in College examinations/ courses using cadaver material must be signed and returned to the Skills Centre Manager before anyone is permitted to enter the Skills Centre.

75. Course attendees and faculty members are issued with a Health & Safety form, which must be read and signed at the beginning of the course. This form includes information and guidance on working with cadaveric material.

76. Bodies are received from the University of Edinburgh, the University of Dundee, the National Repository, Nottingham, and from *Science Care, USA. Bodies were also received for the first time from another US provider called Innoved Institute.

77. In all cases there is a clearly defined checking process with corresponding documentation which I am satisfied meets the requirements of the Anatomy Act 1984 as amended by the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006.

* Arrangements are made for body parts from Science Care and Innoved institute to be cremated at Borders Crematorium, in accordance with the relevant regulations. Copies of all required paperwork are sent electronically to the crematorium in advance of the scheduled cremation. Afterwards the crematorium provides a certificate of cremation (paper copy) to confirm final disposition of the cadaveric specimens.

Courses Run in the College using Cadaveric Material:

78. See appendix.