The Bay of Plenty District Health Board stated that on account of the failure of the Ministry of Justice in arranging a new service, Tauranga Hospital will no longer be able to perform autopsies.

The Ministry of Justice was offered an autopsy room by the DHB to carry out cornonial post mortems in the region. But, as the room was not good enough to meet the required standards and the ministry could not come up with an option to the service, the facility was shut down.

The autopsy room was not equipped with the safety standards and in order to upgrade the standard of the room, there is a requirement of funds equivalent to $2.5 million.

Back in January, the ministry had promised to locate a new service within three months, as told by Phil Cammish, DHB Chief Executive.

The condition of the autopsy room was well-versed with the ministry and that to for over two years. With the closure of the room, the autopsies will now be conducted by the private pathologists or somewhere away from Tauranga.

"It is disappointed with the decision and will be working with the DHB to ensure mortuary services in Tauranga could be resumed", said Ministry spokesman Steve Corbett.