This is the nineteenth report published by NCEPOD and, as always, could not have been achieved without the support of a wide range of individuals and organisations. Our particular thanks go to:

The expert group who advised NCEPOD:
Professor Jack CraneRoyal College of Pathologists
Mr Neil FormstoneLay representative
Mr James LowellAssociation of Anatomical Pathology Technologists
Mrs Sandi MeisnerCoroners Officers Association
Dr Roy PalmerHM Coroner
Mr Gordon RyallHM Coroner
Dr Roger StartRoyal College of Pathologists
Dr Chris WomackRoyal College of Pathologists
The advisors who reviewed the cases:
Dr James AdeleyHM Coroner
Mr Ian ArrowHM Coroner
Dr Elizabeth AstallConsultant Histopathologist
Mr Aidan CotterHM Coroner
Dr Andrew CoupConsultant Histopathologist
Dr Andrew DavisonConsultant Pathologist (Home Office) / Senior Lecturer in Forensic Pathology
Dr Richard FitzmauriceConsultant Histopathologist
Dr Bushra HamidConsultant Histopathologist
Dr Lynn HirschowitzConsultant Histopathologist
Dr Suzy LishmanConsultant Histopathologist
Dr Ervine LongConsultant Histopathologist
Dr James LucasSpecialist Registrar Forensic Pathology
Mrs Selena LynchHM Coroner
Miss Deborah MalcolmHM Coroner
Dr Anne NicolConsultant Histopathologist
Dr John NottinghamConsultant Histopathologist
Dr Michael OsborneSpecialist Registrar Histopathology
Dr Michael SheaffConsultant Histopathologist
Mr Ian SmithHM Coroner
Dr Richard WhittingtonHM Coroner
Dr Chris WrightConsultant Paediatric Pathologist

The coroners and their staff who provided the cases to NCEPOD. This group deserve special thanks as they have not directly been involved with NCEPOD studies before, yet they wholeheartedly supported the study.
Thanks also to Dr Charles Kendall, Consultant Histopathologist.

The organisations that provided funding to cover the cost of this study:
National Patient Safety Agency
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Northern Ireland)
Aspen Healthcare
Benenden Hospital
BMI Healthcare
BUPA
Classic Hospitals
Capio Group
Covenant Healthcare
Cromwell Hospital
Isle of Man Health and Social Security Department
Fairfield Independent Hospital
Foscote Hospital
HCA International
Horder Centre
Hospital Management Trust
Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth
King Edward VII Hospital
King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes
London Clinic
McIndoe Surgical Centre
Mount Alvernia Hospital
Netcare Healthcare
New Victoria Hospital
North Wales Medical Centre
Nuffield Hospitals
Orchard Hospital
St Anthony's Hospital
St Joseph's Hospital
Spencer Wing, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital
States of Guernsey, Health and Social Services
States of Jersey, Health and Social Services
Ulster Independent Clinic
The professional organisations that support our work and who constitute the NCEPOD Steering Group:
Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland
Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland
Coroners' Society of England and Wales
Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians of the UK
Institute of Healthcare Management
Royal College of Anaesthetists
Royal College of Child Health and Paediatrics
Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of Nursing
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Royal College of Ophthalmologists
Royal College of Pathologists
Royal College of Physicians of London
Royal College of Radiologists
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The authors and Trustees of NCEPOD would particularly like to thank the NCEPOD staff for their hard work in collecting and analysing the data for this study:
Philip Brown, Filitsa Groutsi, Dolores Jarman, Saba Raza, Nick Rowe, Neil Smith and Donna Weyman.
Thanks are also given to Professor Steve Gallivan and Dr Martin Utley of the Clinical Operational Research Unit at UCL.

Disclaimer

This work was undertaken by NCEPOD, which received funding for this report from the National Patient Safety Agency. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Agency.