David Hodgson

I conduct post-mortems and help to prepare bodies for identification by their families. The morgue used to be a clinical, unfriendly environment. The whole area was refurbished in 2002, and we got a custom-made viewing sheet, which we use now instead of the stark white hospital sheets. Now it is much more peaceful, comfortable and familiar.

We also had one of these viewing sheets at the John Hunter Hospital. When someone dies in hospital, we close their eyes, clean their face and make their hair neat. If possible we leave one arm out of the sheet so the family can hold onto it. They should look like they are peacefully sleeping.

It's really important for people to feel comfortable in a hospital or morgue. They're dealing with the hardest thing possible, and so it's good to do anything you can to help them through.

David Hodgson, 24. forensic assistant, Department of Forensic Medicine, Newcastle, NSW