Bolton Council, as the lead local authority with responsibility for the provision of coronial services in the Manchester West jurisdiction, signed an agreement with Digital Autopsy UK to provide non-invasive post-mortem examinations to the communities of Bolton, Salford, Wigan and Leigh.

The CT scanning suite from Digital Autopsy UK allows organs and tissues to be assessed using radiology, which can highlight causes of death for the deceased without the need for invasive procedures.

Reports are then viewed by pathologists to assess if a cause of death can be determined without the need for invasive assessments.

Using advancements in technology, digital autopsies aim to reduce traditional invasive post mortems, by 75%.

The reports can also be carried out within hours instead of days, meaning bodies can be released to families much sooner.

Fiona Noden, chief executive at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and place based lead for Bolton, said: ‘Introducing this scanner minimises distress and provides greater dignity by making the investigation less invasive, and helps to reduces the time it takes to determine the cause of death, meaning we're able to release the body to their loved ones sooner.

‘This new technology also better supports those with faith considerations by allowing for the timely burial of a loved one and reducing the need for physical interventions.'

Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester and co-chair of the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, added: ‘For families dealing with the aftermath of losing a loved one, the idea of a traditional invasive post mortem can be distressing, particularly for some of our faith groups in Greater Manchester. This moves us to a place where we can offer far more dignity for all of those involved.

‘This advancement has future-proofed the way deaths are investigated in Greater Manchester not just for the next decade, but far beyond that. Bolton is well and truly leading the way.'