Hudgells’ solicitor Terry Wilcox, manager of Public Inquiries, says recommendations made by a review set-up to examine how bereaved families of the Hillsborough Stadium disaster were treated by the authorities, are welcome but ‘much more needs to be done’.
Mr Wilcox, a lawyer who represented families affected by the Hillsborough Stadium disaster and the Manchester Arena bombing, was invited to contribute their experiences to the review.
It recommends an overhaul in postmortem processes, a need for “empathy and understanding” and:
- Better communications with bereaved families
- Proper and sensitive engagement with families with regards to retained human tissue
- Anticipating requirements of a future disaster
The report, published by the Home Office by forensic expert Glenn Taylor, says bereaved families should be entitled to timely meetings and better communication. Mr Wilcox said:
I have been privileged to work for the bereaved thrown into a world that they knew nothing about at both of these tragedies. I cannot bring myself to imagine what it must be like to lose a loved one at a disaster like Hillsborough or Manchester Arena, but sadly I am all too aware of the journey that some families have been through.
We remain committed to ensuring that any victims or families bereaved through future national tragedies do not have to endure a similar experience.
Families of people killed in the Hillsborough disaster waited more than 23 years for face-to-face meetings to discuss the findings of their postmortems, the review found. The investigation also revealed that the loved ones of the Manchester Arena bombing victims also faced lengthy delays.
The review was set up to examine what went wrong with the original pathology report into the deaths of Liverpool fans at 15 April 1989 FA Cup semi-final. It was aimed at ensuring similar mistakes were not made in the future, the Home Office said.
The report stated: “Government Ministers have described the Hillsborough Stadium disaster as “a devastating tragedy compounded by decades-long injustices.”
Mr Wilcox added: “Much has been learned from the heartbreaking stories of the Hillsborough families, but, as has been witnessed by the Manchester Arena bereaved, more still needs to be done.
I was grateful to be invited by the Home Office to become involved in a review of pathology services following a national tragedy and thank the panel for their diligence in completing their work.
Special mention must be made of Glenn Taylor, the author of the report, who despite his own prognosis was determined to fulfil his promise to the families affected by both Hillsborough and Manchester Arena and complete his report.”
Read the full report and its recommendations: Independent review of forensic pathology
