Doctors raking in ‘ash-cash’

Doctors at hospitals across Greater Manchester cashed in on nearly £120,000 last year from grieving relatives — simply for filling in forms to allow release of the body for cremation.

A dead person cannot be cremated until the cause of death is known and recorded by two doctors. Each form is believed to take about 10 minutes to fill in and come with an average £73.50 fee.

Doctors filled in 1,678 forms at the four hospitals run by Pennine Acute Hospital NHS Trust, which includes Rochdale Infirmary, at a cost of £119,138.

“Ash cash”, as it is known to medical staff, is considered one of the perks of the job.

Nationally, £14.7 million was made in cremation payments by grieving families last year.