The removal and retention of dead children's organs without their parents' knowledge was "an affront" to the families involved, the British government's chief medical officer has said.
Prof Liam Donaldson told a Westminster conference that "something went seriously wrong" in British hospitals when about 40,000 children's organs were removed without clear parental consent.
Parents for Justice, the group which represents Irish parents in the same situation, has welcomed his statement and has called on the Government to show similar solidarity with parents. "We just hope that our own Government would be as supportive to parents," Ms Fionnuala O'Reilly, the Parents for Justice spokeswoman, said.
Parents for Justice is meeting the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, on Tuesday to seek more support for parents whose children's organs were taken without their knowledge.
Ms O'Reilly said the Government must provide more support and counselling for parents. The group's helpline for more than 2,600 members is staffed by four people. Independent counselling was available through the Department of Health but many parents did not know about it.
According to Parents for Justice, as many as one in three families could find the removal of organs affected them if they made inquiries.
Prof Donaldson outlined the following findings at a news conference in Westminister:
Hearts of 170 children at the Bristol Royal Infirmary were removed during post-mortem examinations and kept for educational purposes without the knowledge of their grieving parents;
Organs from more than 800 children were removed at the Alder Hey Children's Hospital without the knowledge of parents;
Many parents found out only last year they had buried their children without all their organs, forcing them to conduct second funerals years after the children had died;
Last November, Alder Hey angered parents further by sending them a letter telling them how to bury body parts;
Last October, following the scandals in Liverpool and Bristol, doctors were issued with new guidelines governing how they obtain consent for the removal and retention of organs from dead patients;
Some parents at Bristol and Alder Hey had signed consent forms, not realising they were giving doctors permission to retain their children's organs.
Additional reporting: PA News
