Keys to the new "mortuary health guide" recently approved by the Ministry

The Interterritorial Council of the National Health System has approved the "Guide for Strengthening Mortuary Health in Spain ," a tool that aims to harmonize postmortem regulations and procedures throughout the country. This is a technical document of a guiding, not regulatory, nature that provides common criteria, best practices, and recommendations for improving the organization and provision of mortuary services from a public health perspective.

The guide is based on an analysis of the current situation of mortuary health care in Spain, characterized by significant regulatory heterogeneity across autonomous communities . These differences affect key aspects such as burial requirements , timeframes and authorizations for transfers, management of deaths in the context of a health emergency, and the application of biosecurity measures.

One of the main contributions of the new guide is the incorporation of a cross-cutting approach that respects religious and cultural diversity . For the first time, a national technical document on mortuary health explicitly addresses the need to make funeral procedures compatible with the beliefs and practices of the different religious communities present in Spain.

Among the proposed measures:

1. Regulatory relaxation to facilitate compliance with traditional practices specific to various religious denominations, such as burial within a short period of time after death, the use of shrouds instead of coffins, or the orientation of the body according to the precepts of each faith. These practices are considered legitimate as long as they are carried out within a framework of sufficient health guarantees, in coordination with public health authorities and funeral services.
2. Promoting specific and ongoing training for healthcare, funeral, and administrative staff in aspects related to religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity, as well as in communication skills and respectful support for families. This training seeks to prevent discriminatory behavior , improve care during times of grief, and ensure sensitive and humane management of postmortem processes.
3. The development and updating of adaptive protocols for health emergencies , disasters, or multiple deaths, which incorporate cultural and religious variables as relevant elements. These protocols must consider viable alternatives for fulfilling the essential rituals of each community, even in contexts of high health pressure, while always ensuring the protection of public health and the dignity of the deceased.
4. It is recommended that institutional interlocutors specialized in religious diversity be appointed to act as points of contact between public services and affected communities, facilitating incident resolution and advance planning for culturally appropriate responses.

In addition to its ethical dimension, the guide proposes technical measures to improve the system, such as:

1. The creation of an interoperable mortuary information system that would integrate and connect regional, municipal, and state registries related to death, treatment, and final disposal of corpses. This system would facilitate the traceability of processes , contribute to more precise epidemiological surveillance, and allow for better management in situations of multiple deaths , both in health emergencies and during natural disasters or mass accidents. Its implementation would help reduce duplication, speed up procedures, and improve the transparency of the system.
2. Review and update protocols for handling biological risks, high-impact health situations, or deaths in exceptional contexts (pandemics, climate emergencies, forced displacement). These protocols will include specific measures to ensure the biosecurity of personnel, adequate temporary storage of bodies , and final disposal based on criteria of dignity and proportionality , even under medical pressure.
3. Promote inter-institutional coordination, especially among health services, funeral authorities, civil registries, city councils, and autonomous communities . The proposal is to create streamlined communication and collaboration mechanisms, both at the routine level and in emergency situations , to reduce administrative burdens, avoid unnecessary delays, and improve the comprehensive and coordinated response to each death.

The Interterritorial Council of the National Health System has approved the "Guide for Strengthening Mortuary Health in Spain ," a tool that aims to harmonize postmortem regulations and procedures throughout the country. This is a technical document of a guiding, not regulatory, nature that provides common criteria, best practices, and recommendations for improving the organization and provision of mortuary services from a public health perspective.