Coroners Toxicology Analysis and Witness Services for Brighton and Hove

To provide for HM Coroner West Sussex, Brighton & Hove with a service of Coroners Toxicology analysis of post-mortem samples and providing professional witnesses at Coroner's inquests. This will only be for cases within Brighton and Hove area of the shared jurisdiction.

The contract with the current supplier has expired and a new 2-year contract is required until April 2027 - or until a single contract is in place to cover the entire West Sussex, Brighton & Hove jurisdiction. The contract will have a one month notice exit clause.

The current service is outlined below: • Postmortems are undertaken on behalf of HM Coroner for West Sussex, Brighton & Hove at Brighton & Hove City Mortuary. Postmortems are performed by the Mortuary team and Pathologists employed by HM Coroner but with a substantive post at Royal Sussex County Hospital.

• HM Coroner sends diagnostic samples to the laboratory at the Royal Sussex County Hospital for toxicological analysis and reporting. • The turnaround time for analysis of toxicology cases is 28 calendar days and a report is emailed to HM Coroner on completion of analysis.

• Clinical scientists specialising in toxicology are made available to act as professional witnesses at HM Coroner's inquests to discuss the laboratory's toxicology reports as required.