Welcome to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety’s web page on the Human Organs Inquiry Report and progress towards implementing the Report’s recommendations.

The Human Organs inquiry, chaired by John O’Hara, QC, was established by the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety in March 2001.  The Report was published on 5 June 2002 and the then Minister, Bairbre de Brùn, accepted all 20 of the Inquiry’s recommendations.

Since then the Department has taken action in respect of all the recommendations.  Key elements have included:

(a) a public information campaign, in conjunction with the Relatives’ Reference Group, that included mailing leaflets to every household in Northern Ireland;

(b) a dedicated telephone enquiry line from November 2002 to March 2005 (and ongoing arrangements within individual Trusts to continue to respond to telephone enquiries as necessary);

(c) The Human Tissue Act 2004, in which Northern Ireland is enjoined with England and Wales;

(d) The Human Tissue Authority created under the new legislation as the regulating body for all matters concerning the removal, retention, use and disposal of human tissue (excluding gametes and whole blood) for specific purposes;

(e) A Code of Good Practice on Post Mortem Examinations; a Careplan for Women who experience a Miscarriage, Stillbirth or Neonatal Death; and new consent forms and guidance booklets to be used in respect of Hospital Post Mortem Examinations;

(f) permanent memorials in Belfast City Hall and Ballyoan Cemetery dedicated to the memory of all those whose organs and tissue were removed without the knowledge or consent of families following post mortem examinations;

(g) A regional network, comprising 5 area co-ordinators, for the development of bereavement care standards and training (due to be launched in January 2006).

This web page provides details on all of the above and links to other relevant web pages.