Agenda item

9.1  The chair invited Dr Michael Heneghan, Liver Consultant, King’s College Hospital,  and Mr Chris Rolfe, Head of Communications, King’s College Hospital to present the paper. The chair then remarked that on first sight of press reports he was concerned, however said he now feels reassured by the verbal and written reports received. He asked Dr Michael Heneghan to give an explanation of a patient’s journeys and an explanation of how organs are offered and the processes involved.

9.2  Dr Michael Heneghan  explained that King’s transplant about 200 livers a year and are the largest centre in the UK. They have been pioneering processes to make more livers usable .There are two categories of priority: Group One is for NHS patients and European Union patients - NHS are the majority. If no recipients are available for NHS patients in the UK then a liver will be offered to Ireland and then further afield. Group Two is comprised of private patients; King’s only perform between 2 and 8 operations a year. These recipients may get offered a liver because of rare blood groups such AB. Private patients only receive livers that would be discarded  if they were not used for private patients.

9.3  A member asked how long livers are viable for and the Liver Consultant  explained that they are viable for 12 -14 hours , however King’s are trying to use organ resuscitation machines to keep them usable for longer. The Head of Communications explained that Kings also retrieve EU livers. He reassured the committee that whatever their views are on private operations, livers are always offered to NHS patients first.

9.4  The Liver Consultant explained King’s is a site of excellence. King’s turn down 5% of livers, whereas Newcastle does not use up to 65 % of its donated livers. Kings was one of the first centres to split livers and take risks. Kings have a big list and the centre does what is can. Newcastle have smaller list and so wait for better organs, however King’s outcomes are some of the best in the world. King’s would like a national waiting list. It is worth bearing in mind that 50% of people on the waiting list do not want a marginal organ.

9.5  A member said he understands that under EU law the NHS is required to perform operations on EU patients. The King’s representatives explained that King’s tend to perform operation on patients from Malta and Cypress where there are reciprocal arrangements in place as these countries do not have the clinical capacity to do these operations in their local hospitals. There are also special arrangements with Dublin, particularly for children. In the last 5 years 28 patient have received organs from EU countries, half of whom are children. King’s have received 20 organs from Cypress and Malta. The Republic of Ireland is a net exporter of around 300 organs.

9.1  Professor Moxham explained that the 3 month death rate for King’s transplant recipients is incomparably better and much of this is down to experience and critical mass. The closer you live to a transplant centre the more likely you are to have a transplant .Good transport networks are related to successful organ donation too and Kings have been making links with Plymouth to improve access and clinical skill.  Kings want to raise other providers to their level.

RESOLVED

The chair asked King’s to send press releases, and other relevant information, to the scrutiny project manager when contentious issues arise.