BELFAST Health Trust has admitted liability for the deaths of two children in its care. Claire Roberts (nine) and four-year-old Adam Strain died months apart while they were being treated at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in 1995 and 1996.
The admission came yesterday at the Hyponatremia public inquiry - a month and a half after the Western Health Trust admitted liability over the death of nine-year-old Raychel Ferguson.
She died at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry in June 2001 after being administered a lethal dose of intra-venous fluid.
A Belfast trust lawyer told the inquiry the deaths were caused by the mismanagement of fluids.
The health body made a "full and frank admission of liability" for the death of Claire Roberts, whose parents had been told for 17 years that she had died from a brain virus.
It also apologised to the family "for the shortcomings in the management of Claire's treatment" and acknowledged that it had failed to treat the child to an appropriate standard.
A similar full admission of liability was made for the 1995 death of Adam Strain.
The trust has already settled a liability case with his family.
The inquiry was also told that a letter had been sent on behalf of the Southern Health Trust to the family of 15-year-old Conor Mitchell, apologising and acknowledged liability for failures in the implementation of hyponatraemia guidelines available at the time.
However, it stated there was nothing to indicate such failures had led to his 2005 death.
Adam Strain died shortly after undergoing a kidney transplant and Claire Roberts, who was admitted suffering from vomiting and drowsiness, the following year.
Medics gave her a fatal overdose of fluids and drugs, but until yesterday denied - even at a 2006 inquest - that contributed in any way to her death.
The inquiry has been examining hospital fluids management.
Hyponatraemia refers to a low level of sodium in the bloodstream, causing brain cells to swell with too much water.
Inquiry chairman Justice John O'Hara QC welcomed the admissions, saying it is "never easy to admit when mistakes had been made".
Claire Roberts's parents said many questions still remain unanswered.
Conor Mitchell's family said it was "extremely pleased" the Southern trust "finally accepted the failure to provide Conor with the level of care he and they would have expected".
"Despite the reservation to the admission, the full apology is a welcomed turn of events," it added in a statement.
"The fact that they have had to fight for 10 years to receive this remains a matter of regret.
"The family hope that these admissions will signal a new era of openness and transparency for the NHS in dealing with future traumatic events."
The inquiry, which is also examining events following the death of Lucy Crawford (17 months), is set to run for another five weeks with findings to be published early next year.
* ADMISSION: Adam Strain died at the Royal in 1995
* LETHAL DOSE: Claire Roberts died the following year PICTURE: BBC