Families contacted over organ retention

The hospital regrets the distress caused to families

Families who may have been affected by organ retention at a Birmingham hospital are being asked what they want to happen to their loved ones' remains.

Birmingham Children's Hospital admitted it retained some organs for research without the families' knowledge.

It has spent millions of pounds over the last year investigating all cases of organ retention.

The hospital has sent out letters to 122 families, giving them the opportunity to contact the hospital to find out about the remains.

Certain families do very much want to have the complete story and the complete tissues and so on in their own hands

Sandy Bradbrook, Birmingham Children's Hospital chief executive

They will then have to decide what they would like to have done with them.

Sandy Bradbrook, the chief executive of the hospital, said the hospital deeply regretted all the distress caused and hopes the latest move will help families.

He said is it up to the individual families - not the hospital - to make the choice.

Mr Bradbrook told BBC Radio WM: "We must give the families the choice and that's what we are doing.

"Certain families do very much want to have the complete story and the complete tissues.

"Most don't - but we can't make that judgement for the families. We have to give the opportunity to the families to make the choice and then be ready to respond very quickly."