Parents to get burial cash

Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow has admitted retaining organs

Parents of children whose organs were retained by Scottish NHS trusts without proper consent are to be given up to £250 to meet burial costs.

The trusts will also be required to nominate a specific member of staff to man a dedicated helpline and act as a liaison officer for inquiries from bereaved parents.

The moves are part of an independent review into organ retention ordered by Health Minister Susan Deacon.

The minister decided to accept early recommendations of the Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem review group ahead of its full report.

Parents have said they want a public inquiry

The review group, which is chaired by Professor Sheila McLean, is due to meet parents later this month before submitting its report to the minister.

Prof McLean, who is professor of law and ethics in medicine at Glasgow University, said: "I welcome the fact that the health minister has accepted these early recommendations from the review group.

"It is bad enough for relatives to undergo the shock of bereavement and then to have to cope with the knowledge that organs were retained at post-mortem without their knowledge or consent.

"We owe it to them to make sure that hospitals are in a position to provide them with the information they need as quickly as possible, as accurately as possible and without families feeling they have been pushed from pillar to post.

Second funeral

"A dedicated phone number and a nominated member of staff will make this possible.

"Arranging a second funeral for retained organs is for many families the way in which they can draw a line under their experience."

Organs were retained by a number of Scottish hospitals, including Yorkhill Children's Hospital in Glasgow.

Bereaved parents have called for a public inquiry into the activities of the hospitals.