TWO Riverina mothers advocating for coronial autopsies in Wagga have welcomed a 'high level task force' to address backlogs so grieving families may bury their loved ones sooner.
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Cootamundra mother Gloria Schultz and Gundagi's Jill Jones were left waiting for weeks for the return of their sons' bodies from Newcastle's Department of Forensic Medicine after they died in 2017.
Mrs Schultz and Mrs Jones have been advocating for the trial in Wagga as a way to reduce the impact of delays on grieving families.
The task force, announced by Cootamundra MP Steph Cooke in late June, aims to reduce wait times for rural and regional families.
It comes after Wagga MP Joe McGirr raised the matter previously with premier Gladys Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard.
Mrs Jones said another leading voice to the campaign is always welcomed.
"To start off with, we're trying to get something happening in a small way," she said.
"A trial would be a start and we're told that they have the facilities at Wagga hospital."
She said the issue continues to be pertinent because the anniversary of her son's death is coming up in a couple of weeks.
Mrs Jones said Dr McGirr has been working tirelessly for their cause and that Ms Cooke's announcement would further that cause.
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Similarly, Mrs Schultz said conducting coronial autopsies in Wagga would "save a lot of heartache and a lot of time".
"It would also save the government a lot of money because the costs must be astronomical with what they're doing now," she said.
"Really, with a procedure like what we're proposing for Wagga, we could do half of the state's autopsies, which would take a lot of pain away from families and that should be the number one priority."
It would also save the government a lot of money because the costs must be astronomical with what they're doing now.
- Gloria Schultz, Riverina mother
Mrs Schultz said she and Mrs Jones recently had "a most productive" meeting with Dr McGirr about the matter.
In March this year, Michael Symonds, executive director of NSW Health Pathology's Forensic and Analytical Science Service, told the Newcastle Herald that the Newcastle facility was currently managing a record rise in the number of coronial post-mortem cases.
Mr Symonds said that there were 253 referrals in January, which is a 35 per cent increase on the average number of monthly referrals.
"We are prioritising cases by complexity and urgency, with homicide and paediatric cases considered the most urgent," he said.
Ms Cooke said that in addition to a review, the government is considering legislative changes that could decrease the number of unnecessary coronial autopsies.
"The recent delays were due to the forensic medicine facility in Newcastle managing an unprecedented number of cases, including a spike in complex homicide and paediatric cases requiring police attendance," she said.
"This was also compounded by an international shortage of specialist forensic pathologists making it difficult to find qualified staff."
Ms Cooke said she hopes to work with Dr McGirr on the matter.
Dr McGirr said he is set to meet Health Minister Brad Hazzard in the next couple of days to discuss the matter further.
In March this year, Mr Hazzard said the delays faced by families who were waiting for a loved one's body to be returned from an examination was a huge issue.
"Families in and around the Riverina are finding it a struggle because quite often in cases you have to wonder why it really needs a full autopsy, a full coronial investigation - loved ones are being transported quite long distances," he said.
In February this year, statewide clinical director of forensic medicine Dr Isabel Brouwer said the procedures were performed at Newcastle due to their complex nature.
"Coronial post-mortems in the event of an unexplained or unexpected death ... can only be performed by highly qualified forensic pathologists who have undergone specialist training and certification," she said.