Harriet Tunstall, Mortuary Services Manager

2 November 2020

Harriet has come to the team from the UK bringing with her over ten years of technical mortuary experience.

A Biochemistry graduate from the University of Nottingham, she worked as a Biomedical Assistant before transferring to a Trainee Anatomical Pathology Technician role in 2010. 

Harriet’s passion and drive were rewarded with the accolade of RSPH Prize Winner for both her professional qualifications. She is the only person to date to achieve the highest marks in both exams. Harriet was part of a successful management mortuary team at UHCW NHS Trust for over 8 years, in which time they became the busiest forensic facility nationally serving the West Midlands Region and collaborating with West Midlands Police and others to revolutionise forensic investigation. Harriet is also specialised in high risk and CBRN autopsy practices.

Harriet is trained and experienced in the specialist area of Disaster Victim Identification. As a UKDVI APT Response Team Manager Harriet, along with four others nationally, was responsible for the APT response to mass fatalities incidents involving UK Nationals. This included managing two major incidents in her local region and a deployment in May 2017 for the Manchester Bombings.

Harriet has a wealth of experience in teaching and operational success within the mortuary environment. As the Mortuary Services Manager, Harriet is responsible for the oversight of the mortuaries within the Communio portfolio including the learning and development of the technical workforce. 

Ensuring the tūpāpaku and their whānau are at the centre of the services Communio provide, is integral to Harriet’s philosophy.