Oct 24, 2006

According to reports today in national and regional newspapers, Addenbrookes Hospital is currently disposing of aborted foetuses in the same incinerator used for general hospital waste. The decision was taken after the local council-run cemetery began charging £18.50 a time.

Julia Millington, spokeswoman for the ProLife Alliance commented:

‘At a time of heightened concern about abortion, Addenbrookes’ unacceptable actions are all the more callous. They are treating human life as nothing more than clinical waste. This seriously undermines the medical profession’s caring image.

The guidelines in this area – from the Department of Health and Royal College of Nursing – clearly encourage hospitals to treat the unborn sensitively, describing Addenbrookes’ practice as ‘completely unacceptable’ [1]. We are, after all, dealing with early human beings and, as the guidelines note, women who regret their abortions may later return to the hospital to enquire about the remains of their dead baby. They can only be devastated by this awful news.

At a 2004 select committee inquiry into cemeteries, the Labour government was called upon to legislate in this area to ensure guidelines are adhered to [2]. Those calls were ignored. With this shocking discovery, now is surely the time to act to ensure dead babies and their parents are treated with dignity.’

ENDS

Notes for Editors:
[1] The guidelines concerned are the ‘Sensitive disposal of all fetal remains’ (Royal College of Nursing, 2002) and the Department of Health’s ‘Q and A on Disposal following Pregnancy Loss Before 24 Weeks Gestation’ (2004).

Addenbrookes, have referred to the guidelines of the Retained Organs Commission. However, this Commission closed in 2004 and their own guidelines simply refer people to the aforementioned Royal College of Nursing guidelines (see p18 of ‘Good Practice Guidance’ March 2004).

[2] http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200001/cmselect/cmenvtra/91/91m72.htm see paragraph 4.2

Share/Save