Shortage Of Pathologists Causing Unlawful Transportation Of Children's Bodies, UK

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Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 04 Jan 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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The Coroners Act, 1988, allows the removal of a body for post-mortem to an adjoining district only. This law is frequently broken because of a serious shortage of pathologists, especially pediatric pathologists, say members of the Royal College of Pathologists and the British Medical Association.

The shortage of pediatric pathologists has got worse since the Alder Hey children's hospital case where the organs of children were removed and stored without the consent of their parents.

The illegal transport of children's bodies is especially bad in the south-west of England. It is claimed the bodies of children are often transported from the south-west to specialist centers in Oxford or London.

Chris Wright, Pediatric Pathology Specialty Advisory Committee Chair, Royal College of Pathologists, said pressure had grown after recommendations that child specialists should deal with unexpected infant deaths in the wake of the case of the late solicitor Sally Clark who was eventually cleared of murdering two of her children.

Dr Wright said "There aren't enough people to do the job and there are particular problems in the south west. Babies who require post mortems will be going to other parts of the country, which is inadequate and, from the point of view of the family, completely unsatisfactory."

Dr Wright said there are only approximately 40 pediatric pathologists - not enough to cope with the work. He added that there is no sign the numbers are going to increase.

-- British Medical Association
-- Royal College of Pathologists

Written by - Christian Nordqvist
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