Forensic Pathology Services (FPS) - Possible Service Pressure Alert

The Western Cape Government Health’s (WCGH’s) Forensic Pathology Services (FPS) are proactively informing the public of potential delays in delivery due to service pressure. FPS is currently experiencing high case load admissions which is further impacted by a high staff COVID-19 infection rate. The WCGH requests that families remain patient should there be any case delays.

FPS officials are currently going above and beyond to try and alleviate the pressures currently being experienced at the respective Metropole facilities due to a high volume of cases that need to be managed.  “We recognise that the time of bereavement is a stressful and difficult period. For this reason, we are doing everything we can to speed up but also streamline the process,” says Mr Ryan Clayton, FPS Acting Director.

During high pressure periods, we manage cases as per our set prioritisation criteria. Cases will therefore be allocated, and autopsies performed in chronological order on identified cases first. To expedite the process, family members should please ensure that they do the following: 

• Provide the original Identification Document or Driver’s license of the deceased as well as your own.
• If your own documentation or that of the deceased is lost or stolen, please go to your SAPS investigating officer who must accompany you to the facility to confirm the identification for both yourself and the deceased.
• In cases of sudden or unexpected death, all medical documentation/information regarding the deceased should be provided.
• If the deceased is under the age of eighteen, the Road to Health Chart (clinic card) of the child/infant should be supplied.

As soon as the situation alleviates, we will revert to our long-standing practice of accommodating requests for whatever reason for prioritisation.