'We let you down': Families receive report into disposal of baby organs
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The families of the 18 babies whose perinatal organs were sent abroad for incineration from Cork University Maternity Hospital have been told they were let down in how the organs were disposed.
The families have this morning been provided with a report on the circumstances leading to the incineration of the organs without the parents’ consent or knowledge.
The 124-page report was due over a year ago, but parents were told that the delay arose from a number of factors including the HSE cyberattack.
In a cover letter, David Donegan, CUH Group chief executive, thanked the families for meeting with the review team who investigated how the organs were sent abroad for incineration in March and April 2020.
He wrote: “I acknowledge we let you down in respect to the respectful disposal of your baby’s post-mortem organs. This was one of the most difficult times in your lives and are incredibly sorry for that.
“While it will perhaps be of little comfort given the unacceptable delays you have suffered to date, I am pleased to be able to provide you with the report enclosed.”
He continued: “I want to acknowledge the ongoing distress that you and your family experienced as a result of both the incident and subsequent delayed review.”
He accepted however that his words “may bring little comfort to you”.
One of the mothers who received this morning’s report, Katie Quilligan, said she wants a face-to-face meeting with the person who “signed off” on sending the organs of her son James to Antwerp for incineration, as well as the person who did it, and the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly.
She said: “It’s all well and good them saying by paper, email and in the Dáil they are sorry, but we need to look these people in the eyes that have crushed our lives.”
The report said:
According to Health Service Executive standards, organs retained after post-mortem should be sensitively disposed of by burial or cremation only.
The organs of the 18 babies were initially stored in the morgue at Cork University Hospital after being released by the pathology department following post-mortem examinations.
The report continued: “The Post Mortem Room Team have stated that they very much regret the actions taken. It was confirmed by the National Audit in relation to compliance in respect of the Standards and Recommended Practice for Post Mortem Examination Services, HSE 2012, that this was an isolated incident in CUH.”
In the report, the Review Team apologized to the parents and families of the 18 babies for both the incineration and for the delay in furnishing the final report.