The man who steered the Royal College of Pathologists out of what he called the "morass" of the retained organs scandal is to be knighted.

Professor John Lilleyman, president of the Royal College of Pathologists, was one of dozens of people in the medical community mnamed in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Professor Lilleyman said the honour had come at the end of a difficult period for the college.

The college had become embroiled in the Alder Hey scandal which involved the stripping of organs from dead children, often without the consent or knowledge of parents.

I was surprised ... I didn't think that I had done anything that anyone else would not have done

Professor John Lilleyman, Royal College of Pathologists

Professor Lilleyman said pathologists had been working on changing their own rules over organ retention, but that the scandals had accelerated this process.

He said: "It is going to take a long time, but we are now settling. We have done our best."

He said the college was now looking to the future, but that he and his colleagues felt deeply sorry for those people affected by the organ retention scandals.

Professor Lilleyman was also responsible for setting up a national accreditation service for pathology laboratories.

He said: "I was surprised for the award. I didn't think that I had done anything that anyone else would not have done."

Alder Hey award

Alder Hey Hospital itself also received a boost. Its director of nursing, Rebecca Howard, is to be made a CBE for her services to Nursing and Health Care Management.

Ms Howard also served on the inquiry panel into the Bristol heart babies scandal.

Ms Howard said: "I was surprised and delighted. I am proud to be a member of the team at Alder Hey. It is a terrific hospital and gives great care

"I have worked hard all my life for patient care. To be honoured in that way is incredible."

Fertile honour

Dr Ruth Deech, the chairman of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which regulates fertility treatment in the UK, is also to be made a CBE.

Other people who will receive a knighthood include Professor Peter Lachmann, the president of the the Academy of Medical Sciences.

A former president of the Royal College of Pathologists, Professor Lachmann is a retired immunologist from Cambridge.

He is a keen advocate of research into genetically-modified crops, saying that the technology could one day solve food and energy needs.

Also to be knighted is vascular operations expert Professor Peter Bell, vice-president of the Royal College of Surgeons and professor of surgery at Leicester University.

Joining him is Thomas McKillop, chief executive of pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, and Ronald De Witt, chief executive of North West London Strategic Health Authority.