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| Hospital sorry for foetus blunder | Hospital sorry for foetus blunder |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Hospital bosses have apologised for an "inexcusable failure" after the bodies of seven miscarried and aborted foetuses were kept in a mortuary. | Hospital bosses have apologised for an "inexcusable failure" after the bodies of seven miscarried and aborted foetuses were kept in a mortuary. |
| The bodies were found in the University Hospital of North Staffordshire's mortuary more than two years after they should have been buried or cremated. | The bodies were found in the University Hospital of North Staffordshire's mortuary more than two years after they should have been buried or cremated. |
| The trust said an administration error led to the retention of the foetuses, which were under 16 weeks gestation. | The trust said an administration error led to the retention of the foetuses, which were under 16 weeks gestation. |
| It contacted two women who had asked to be involved in the burial or cremation. | It contacted two women who had asked to be involved in the burial or cremation. |
| University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust said "swift action" was taken as soon as the error was discovered to strengthen its procedures. | University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust said "swift action" was taken as soon as the error was discovered to strengthen its procedures. |
| No other women need be concerned either now or in the future Julia BridgewaterChief executive, University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust | |
| It has informed the Human Tissue Authority, which was set up after the Alder Hey scandal - in which hundreds of dead children's organs were found to have been retained at Alder Hey Hospital in Merseyside - to enforce laws on the removal, storage and disposal of human bodies and tissues. | It has informed the Human Tissue Authority, which was set up after the Alder Hey scandal - in which hundreds of dead children's organs were found to have been retained at Alder Hey Hospital in Merseyside - to enforce laws on the removal, storage and disposal of human bodies and tissues. |
| The trust said the standard procedure at the hospital was for foetuses under 24 weeks to be buried or cremated in line with the wishes, where they have been expressed, of mothers and their partners "during a special dignified service". | The trust said the standard procedure at the hospital was for foetuses under 24 weeks to be buried or cremated in line with the wishes, where they have been expressed, of mothers and their partners "during a special dignified service". |
| Trust visit | Trust visit |
| The trust's chief executive Julia Bridgewater said she had met two women and their families who asked to be involved in the foetuses' burial or cremation. | The trust's chief executive Julia Bridgewater said she had met two women and their families who asked to be involved in the foetuses' burial or cremation. |
| "I offered them the support of the trust and reassured them that their wishes will be respected in full," she said. | "I offered them the support of the trust and reassured them that their wishes will be respected in full," she said. |
| "I also offered my sincere apologies and those of the staff concerned for the distress this error undoubtedly caused them." | "I also offered my sincere apologies and those of the staff concerned for the distress this error undoubtedly caused them." |
| She said she had instigated an immediate hospital inquiry and acted to put more robust procedures in place "to ensure a mistake of this nature could never happen again". | She said she had instigated an immediate hospital inquiry and acted to put more robust procedures in place "to ensure a mistake of this nature could never happen again". |
| "No other women need be concerned either now or in the future," she said. | "No other women need be concerned either now or in the future," she said. |
| The trust said the other five families had requested that it carry out its procedures without their involvement and the foetuses had been cremated. | The trust said the other five families had requested that it carry out its procedures without their involvement and the foetuses had been cremated. |