Organ retention 'standard practice'

Prof McLean and the minister launched the review

The retention of organs by hospitals after post mortem examination was standard practice in Scotland, according to a new report.

Sheila McLean, a professor of medical ethics at Glasgow University, will reveal hundreds of hearts and brains are still being stored at hospitals around the country.

But her report, due to be published on Tuesday, will dismiss fears that Scotland has seen anything similar to the organ retention scandal at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool.

Instead the professor's research will highlight the need for better communication between medical staff and relatives.

Yorkhill Hospital has admitted retaining organs

Professor McLean found many relatives had not realised they were giving permission for the organs to be retained.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, on Sunday, she said: "The situation has been that this has been standard practice over the last 20 or 30 years.

"The real problem, I think though, has been that when people were asked to consent to a hospital post mortem it was not made clear to them that that might include organs being retained, even in some cases just for a very short period of time and I think that's the major issue.

"It's about communication and consent."

Scottish Health Minister Susan Deacon last week moved to reassure the public that problems surrounding organ retention were rare in Scotland.

However, Professor McLean had already been asked to investigate after it emerged that a dead child's organs were removed at Yorkhill Hospital, in Glasgow, without the consent of relatives.

There's no evidence of anything equivalent to an Alder Hey, absolutely none

Sheila McLean
Medical ethics expert

A Scottish Executive spokesman said there was already a commitment to introducing tough new consent laws in line with those being introduced in England and Wales.

Professor McLean told the BBC: "My impression is that we don't have an Alder Hey, we don't have a person that you would pick on and say that that person has been doing something shocking or wrong.

"It was standard medical practice throughout the United Kingdom to make certain assumptions about organ removal and retention.

"I don't think that these assumptions should have been made, but because the law was unclear - and possibly because of a culture of paternalism - that's what was done."

Parents still want a full public inquiry

She added: "There's no evidence of anything equivalent to an Alder Hey, absolutely none."

However, the Sunday newspapers are full of speculation about what the professor's report might contain.

The Sunday Times suggests Glasgow hospitals disposed of organs by stuffing them into the cavities of other dead bodies awaiting burial.

The paper says North Glasgow University hospitals trust has been Scotland's most prolific harvester of organs.

The trust, which includes the city's Western, Royal, Gartnavel and Stobhill hospitals, is said to have a store of almost 4,500 organs.

The paper also alleges Professor McLean's report will reveal that doctors at North Glasgow, Scotland's biggest hospital trust, have removed organs from dead patients without permission.

The law does not require parental consent to remove a dead patients' organs but it does require hospitals to find out whether relatives object.