The practice in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Dublin, of sending children's organs to the UK without the consent or knowledge of parents is detailed in new documents obtained by the Parents for Justice campaign group yesterday.
Letters between the Dunne Post Mortem Inquiry investigating the retention of organs and the Crumlin hospital also detail the failure of the hospital to make submissions within an agreed timeframe. The hospital questioned the procedures of the inquiry after its establishment in 2001, including its interpretation of the term "organ", according to documents released to RTÉ News and the campaign group following a series of Freedom of Information requests since 2002.
Parents for Justice said it was very concerned by one document that described how the pregnant uterus of a dead woman had been transferred from the North Infirmary Hospital in Cork to the School of Nursing in Crumlin when the North Infirmary's school closed in 1987. The uterus, which contained a foetus of "16-17 weeks gestation" was discovered in Crumlin in January 2001 in a formaldehyde solution in a jar.
Letters on February 6th, 2002, September 27th, 2002 and October 1st, 2002 from the inquiry's solicitor to Crumlin hospital stated that the hospital had failed to make submissions to the inquiry and that the inquiry would be informing the Minister for Health and Children.
In a statement last night, the hospital said it had co-operated with both the Dunne and Madden inquiries, adding that it had already disclosed to the inquiries that specimen and organs had been sent abroad. The hospital had sought clarification on certain questions asked by the inquiries and had provided the necessary information when that clarification was received.
The hospital said it had implemented most of the Madden report's recommendations, adding that many had been implemented since early 2000. "Once again Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin greatly regrets the pain caused to families because of past postmortem practice," the statement concluded.
After the documents' release, the Department of Health said the system of organ and tissue disposal by hospitals was not intentionally disrespectful to children or their families.
The department said it was working on the implementation of the 50 recommendations in the Madden report in consultation with the relevant bodies.