The Anatomy dataset is divided into two sections, corresponding to the tables for bodies donated for anatomical research and their disposal by the schools of anatomy. The tables contain the following information:
The dataset was used to control the processing of the returns of Forms AA2 and AA4, used for acceptance and disposal of bodies respectively, from the 25 anatomy offices. It handles the acceptance of human bodies for research purposes by 39 recognised anatomy medical schools at hospitals and universities in England and Wales and indicates the subsequent disposal of such bodies. The schools are divided into Provincial schools and London schools. These schools in turn have various 'satellite' schools which receive the bodies from these larger institutions. The provincial schools include Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton. The city schools include Charing Cross Hospital, King's Hospital, Queen Mary and Westfield Hospital, Royal College of Surgeons, St George's Hospital, St Mary's Hospital, University College, London Hospital and Guys Hospital. The various satellite schools for London and the provinces are Brighton, Clwyd, St Andrew's, Keele, Loughborough, Norwich, Nutfield, Plymouth, Swindon, Oswestry and the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC).
The tables contain the following information:
- Date of receipt of AA2 form recording acceptance of body by licensed school;
- Full name, sex and age of deceased;
- Date, cause and place of death;
- Name and full address of licensed school where body is held and date received;
- Name and full address of person authorising use of body;
- Permission to retain parts;
- Person who is licensed to sign for body;
- Date place and method of disposal, whether by cremation or burial;
- Licensed teacher, as well as first to fifth person authorised to sign for disposal of body;
- Date AA4 form was signed recording disposal of body.
Reports produced include a list of all bodies being used for anatomical examination; all bodies exceeding the three year limit; bodies in use by a school and a list of bodies accepted by a school.
When the Human Tissue Act 2004 came into force on 1 September 2006, it repealed the Anatomy Act 1984 and brought about a number of significant changes. These changes included the cessation of licensing of teachers of anatomy and the abolition of the AA2/AA4 forms, and the associated anatomy database.
The datasets in this series are available to download. Links to individual datasets can be found at piece level.