Alder Hey boss guilty of misconduct

The organs of dead children were kept by the hospital

The suspended chief executive of Alder Hey Children's Hospital has been found guilty of misconduct.

After a three-day hearing an independent panel has concluded that Hilary Rowland brought the Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust and herself into disrepute.

There will be a further meeting on 19 September to discuss the future of the former Alder Hey boss, who has been suspended on her £85,000 salary since January.

John O'Hare, a spokesman for Alder Hey parent support group Pity II, said Ms Rowland should now be sacked and barred from working in the NHS.

This has been a difficult time for everyone involved

Angela Jones, Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust

He said: "We have always been of the opinion the only just outcome of this event should be the dismissal of Hilary Rowland as the Chief Executive of Alder Hey and from holding any other position in the NHS.

"This decision is the right one and we are pleased to hear that someone is finally being held accountable for the mishandling of the situation at Alder Hey."

An investigation was ordered into the Liverpool children's hospital by the government after stockpiles of organs were discovered in a university laboratory.

Multiple funerals

Organs had been removed from thousands of dead children at the Liverpool hospital over seven years, without their parents' consent.

In some cases, it was many years after their child's death that parents learned organs had been kept.

Some families have been forced to hold multiple funerals as lungs, brains, hearts and other organs were returned to them.

A 600-page report published in January 2001, chaired by Michael Redfern QC, described as "unforgivable" the pain caused to the parents by "this dreadful sequence of events".

Ms Rowland was criticised in the Redfern report after saying she had no knowledge of the full extent of the scandal when she should have.

She was also found to have failed to act upon a serious complaint from a parent.

Parental concerns

The suspended chief executive went on "extended leave" in March 2000 although the trust denied she had been forced out saying instead Ms Rowlands was enjoying a rest.

Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust chair Angela Jones said: "There has been a disciplinary hearing in relation to Ms Rowland.

"The hearing was held over three days and undertaken by an independent lay chair and two non-executive directors of the Trust.

"I received the outcome of the hearing this morning and it concluded Hilary Rowland was guilty of misconduct and in bringing the Trust and herself into disrepute."

'Findings welcomed'

Ian Cohen, solicitor for support group Pity II, said: "The finding of misconduct will be welcomed by a substantial number of parents involved.

"The parents will be watching very closely to see the actual decision taken by the trust bearing in light the findings that have been made."

Earlier this year parents talked of a "whitewash" after learning that only two doctors named in the Redfern report were to face disciplinary action.

They are disgraced Dutch pathologist Professor Dick van Velzen and former Alder Hey medical director Dr John Martin.