Image caption Adam Strain, Raychel Ferguson, Claire Roberts and Conor Mitchell. Lucy Crawford's family chose not to release a photograph

An inquiry into the deaths of five children in Northern Ireland's hospitals has found that four of them were avoidable.

The findings followed a 14-year inquiry into hyponatraemia-related deaths.

Hyponatraemia is a medical condition that occurs when there is a shortage of sodium in the bloodstream.

The damning report was heavily critical of the "self-regulating and unmonitored" health service.

The Belfast, Southern and Western health trusts said they "unreservedly apologise" to the five families.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Mr Justice O'Hara calls on medical professionals to put the public interest first.

Mr Justice O'Hara was scathing of how the families were treated in the aftermath of the deaths and alsoof the evidence given to the inquiry by medical professionals.

He said that "doctors and managers cannot be relied on to do the right thing at the right time" and that they had to put the public interest before their own reputation.

He also said that some witnesses to the inquiry "had to have the truth dragged out of them".

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Jennifer Roberts speaks about the death of her daughter, Claire

The inquiry was set up in 2004 to investigate the deaths of Adam Strain, Claire Roberts, Raychel Ferguson, Lucy Crawford and Conor Mitchell.

The chairman said that the deaths of Adam Strain, Claire Roberts and Raychel Ferguson were the result of "negligent care".

Image caption The inquiry's report has made 96 recommendations

In his report, Mr